A Measure of Darkness
by CoolyCakeCove
Summary: "The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." Reincarnation!OC, Uchiha!OC, semi SI-OC ((HIATUS))
1. PREMISE

**A Measure of Darkness**

 _"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep._ " Reincarnation!OC

— Robert Frost, _Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening_

* * *

 **PREMISE**

 _A Measure of Darkness_

* * *

Dying is warm.

There is darkness, darker than closed eyes, disorienting.

I always hated the dark. Couldn't tell _what_ was in it. I was used to people's facial expressions—the tell-tale signs that gave away their inner feelings, was used to seeing things that were dangerous so I could avoid them. With darkness, came deprivation. No hearing, no smelling, no touching, no tasting. It was only my consciousness telling me _You still exist_ despite me no longer having the body of a college student.

I doubted I really existed. And I feared if I _didn't_ believe I existed, then I didn't exist. Then who would I be? What would I be?

 _Is this a coma?_ I thought. _Am I going to wake up fifty years later? Would my family pull the plug?_

I wrote a personal letter to my family. They had all read it before I flew fifteen hours away. One of the sentences was bleak: _If I end up on life support, pull the plug. I don't ever want to be a burden on you. The last thing I need is waking up and finding out we're homeless, or something_.

I wondered if I died, would they get any money? God knows they needed it.

 _I'm really dead? Huh. I didn't accomplish much..._

A part of me felt a heavy, soul-breaking sadness. And a part of me, well, hoped for a redo.

* * *

Once again, I'm whole.

Once again, I live, my mind stuck in this new life's subconscious, akin to a fly buzzing around just out of sight, to be absentmindedly swatted at. This existence is me, suffering in silence, as a two-year-old child shrugs away my presence. A child made up of altered pieces of _me_ —be it whatever I am within this darkness.

At the moment everything is blurring together, spiraling, and despite my terror, this new existence is _not_ completely foreign. The memories captured by this body feel like my own if lacking my entire consciousness. A part of me feels emotional connections to the child's parents— _my parents?_ —because this mind so vividly recalls a time that, when all my complex needs could only be communicated by sobbing, they were there. They supported me. They comforted me. It warms me eve now.

Yet my consciousness is telling me this can't be right. I was a college student, wasn't? Can't say I was the best student possible, and maybe I never took my professors seriously, but I was _practically_ an adult. Not a child.

That would mean I was born again, right?

My mind won't stop racing.

The kid stealing fragments of me swings his legs in the tall chair, toes grazing the metal legs, as he knits his sweaty hands together. His heart accelerates as fast as my thoughts do.

 _What's going on?_ he thinks, and like all his memories that have bled into mine, I know he doesn't speak English. _Is Mama okay? I hate not knowing..._

From the thin wall behind him, he can hear the occasional yell.

It sends a shudder through him because Mama has _never_ yelled in pain before. He never wants to remember the voice, but he _can't escape it_. The scary, foreign sound only attaches itself to his memories further.

I understand, however. He can't _actually_ be me, right? He should know.

Even from this darkness, I feel his paranoia. It feels just like my own. My paranoia about my _real_ mother being hospitalized, about dying.

This kid, even if he wasn't me, needed help.

 _It's okay. Mama's gonna be okay._

I stop resisting.

The part remaining separate starts to coalesce into the boy's consciousness, making it less like a movie and more like a play and I'm the star. My mind is still amazed at my circumstances. My body acts using muscle memory that no altered awareness can change.

It's silent now, has been for a long while. The fading colors in the room make me feel lonely. Objects and decorations become more undefined and I know it's the same for me too, to become part of a growing shadow created by a setting sun. Then an impulse. My body leaps out of the chair, walks to the sliding door with lilies painted a vivid red and black, sticks small fingers into the crack, and parts it open.

 _That's what I was doing, huh?_

"Mama," I hear my new voice say, looking around blindly as my eyes readjust, "are you okay?"

A weary voice calls me—it is _not_ Mama—and I move towards that sound blindly, nearly stumbling into the wet nurse when my vision adapts enough. Her hands are pale against the red towel—rather, the previously blue towel now smeared with stains. It reeks even more than the room did: a thick, salty scent. The room contains towels, some medical equipment, and the bed where two adults are. Before I know it, the kid's—my heart swells with recognition.

There is _Papa_ sitting on the bed's edge, facing away from me and to _Mama_ , speaking in hushed tones.

The kid's curious and so I am. I want to barge past the wet nurse and see, but as I tilt my head and get a glimpse of _Papa_ 's face, something isn't right.

That's Fugaku.

 _Huh? Why is that so familiar_ — **wait** _._

That's _Fugaku Uchiha_ : **Itachi's** father, **Sasuke's** father, **my** _father_.

 _A show? A **show**? This can't_— _what is this? A dream?_

 ** _This isn't real_**.

The kid side of me doesn't worry about anything. Impulsively, he says to the nurse, "Is Mama okay?"

 _That's Mikoto. That's **Mikoto** **Uchiha**._

"Yes, she is just fine. Mikoto-sama has given birth to your new baby brother." She hums pleasantly but with a small note of fatigue.

 ** _I'm an_ Uchiha _._**

 _Don't I **die**_ **in the future**?

 _What kind of dream is this? Get brought back to life just **to**_ **die** _?_

"Can I see, Mama, _please_?" The kid part of _me_ is trying to peer over the nurse's shoulder.

"After Fugaku-sama finishes the bathing, you may see—at your father's discretion."

Soon both versions of me settle as different memories intermingle. The body so used to this world becomes a crutch of sanity. _Ah, I'm Fugaku's son. I'm **Takenaka** **Uchiha**. And the one being born—I helped Mama pick a name, I remember, it came to me so **naturally**_ —

"Come here," orders Papa, cradling a bundle of cloth with a red, alien face and dark hair. "Look closely now. This is your blood brother."

I poke at my brother's hot, fleshy cheek with a knuckle and can't stop this painful smile. "He looks weird. Kinda cute, though. Itachan's going to be a lady killer!"

"You must stop being around that man," Papa grumbles, retracting my brother a small bit, referring to my Casanova grandfather.

And at my ear, the wet nurse hisses, "Use his proper name! Else your brother's going to think that pet name is his actual name!"

I smile delicately, like this kid's— _my_ etiquette teacher taught me. Like I see Mama do. "Yes, ma'am. Itacha—Itachi Uchiha!"

 _The one who murdered all the Uchiha._

 _In a show._

 _I **watched**._

I can't grasp the reasoning behind this, so I resort to the all too human response of _deny deny deny_. Maybe it's cowardly or foolish; I figured if I can remain sane and get through this, it will redeem my action.

I know a few things already.

 **A** , two years before the birth of Itachi Uchiha on the ninth of June, Takenaka Uchiha was born on the nineteenth of March.

 **B** , Itachi Uchiha is born five years before Naruto is, _assuming_ Itachi is still born in the proper year as canon. Which I'm definitely confident in.

 **C** , I distinctly remember that there are _three_ faces up on the Hokage Rock and there has been _no_ Third Great Shinobi World War yet.

 **D** , as eldest, _I'm_ the default heir of the Uchiha clan. In the future, that _should_ prevent Itachi from being too overworked. He may be able to play with Sasuke and _be a child_.

(—does that _also_ mean that both Itachi and I are possible candidates for the Uchiha Massacre? The tragedy happened when Itachi was thirteen. I've got thirteen years to wait for anything to come about.)

 **E** , this boy, my new body, can understand Japanese far better than I ever could at _two_. Granted, he is the son of a leader in a world about to war. Naturally, his father made sure he could speak Japanese.

 **F** , I know that I have no intention in waiting thirteen years for this massacre to play out. My existence has already thrown off the balance of this world. I intend to keep it that way. Because—no matter how idealistic this sounds; just the perk of being American—I want to be a part of this world or dream or _wherever_. If somehow my existence could change a life, I will act immediately.

Besides, whether the kid part of me intended to or not, I'm attached to these people.

Yes, these people that were once nothing but ink and paper, puppets to an omnipotent author. It's through this kid that I can remember nothing but their passion as my second parents. That alone changed these fictional characters into real people.

Yes, it hurts knowing my own parents are now a distant dream. My family... my friends... everything I loved as a hobby, my future dreams are impossible, but I have a chance at making difference.

A part of me, though, is bitter. I'm no super fan of this series, I don't know every single detail, and I was mostly cynical about the Uchiha Clan. There was an equal amount of pros and cons. I didn't make a decision to support or hate the clan. Now? Well, I have no choice to accept my fate as an Uchiha.

 _If I told anyone I know the future, would they believe me? Or call me crazy?_

What is there to gain from going insane, other than certain death? I'd be like an unwanted king, poisoned by my son as I sipped wine from my goblet.

I **won't allow** Itachi Uchiha to become the prodigy that murders his clan. _I'll_ become the prodigy so he can have a childhood. No one deserves such a sad, unforgiving life.

 _What if_ I _slaughtered all the Uchiha in his place?_

I refuse to believe in that outcome.

I just need to play my cards right and not waste this. I get the feeling that if I die again, I may not have another chance at life.

* * *

 **PREMISE END**

* * *

 _Yet another human-born-in-Narutoverse story—le gasp!—and an Uchiha OC at that? Ah. It's not the most original concept ever, but the Uchiha Clan is really fascinating and (before Shippuuden) I really rooted for the underdog clan._

 _This_ segways _into my premise: a big brother of Itachi Uchiha who, using his status as the first born and eldest son of Fugaku, tries to prevent the clan downfall and genocide, somehow turn a clan prone to hatred and being ostracized into something accepted in the Leaf's community, and other things planned. I really want to divulge into the Uchiha lifestyle, but slowly, so as to not overwhelm readers with too many details._

 _Bonus: he's a dude OC. As much as I love the female-empowerment Naruto-_ fanverse _is brimming with, I think a boy would have to do... less proving to be a leader._ As example _, males were always leaders in the Uchiha Clan and in many clans in general (Asura, Hagaromo, Madara, Fugaku, etc.). If this OC were female, logically speaking, this universe may be very biased in choosing her younger brother Itachi as a leader. Cruel. Unfair. But realistic. I hate it. You should too. But it's plausible._

 _And,_ y'know _as a bonus, I really want this OC to save our cinnamon roll Itachi (too pure, too sweet for this world) but even I don't know how broken Itachi will be by the end of this._


	2. NEGATIVE FIFTEEN

**A Measure of Darkness**

 _"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep._ " Reincarnation!OC

— Robert Frost, _Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening_

* * *

 **NEGATIVE FIFTEEN**

 _Orientation | Opening_

* * *

The first week of Itachi Uchiha's birth is a nervous affair. Not as bad as the first week of my life, as I'm told, but still not good. As a toddler, anything I suggest or do is ignored. Instead, I get front row seats to two neurotic parents.

Papa bounces from helping Mama, playing with Itachi, and working. Before I took control, Takenaka had a vague idea that the world outside wasn't so pleasant as home. Obviously, we're on the cusp of another war.

Mama is visited by so many nurses who heal for hours and give her concoctions to speed up recovery. It's startling to see Mama—as young as she is—up and working hard as the wife of the Uchiha Leader in as little as three days.

She plays with Itachi still, but the burden of feeding the glutton belongs to the wet nurse I saw help Mama give birth: an old lady that goes by the name of Kanka.

Old is subjective. Her hair wound in a tight bun sealed by a lavender hairpiece is snow colored. Her skin has so many blemishes and scars I'm wary to touch her, even knowing they don't hurt at all.

And her surprisingly loud and masculine voice always throws me off-guard.

But I hang around her _only_ because of Itachi.

"Annoying little bother, aren't you?" she comments while feeding Itachi, Mama elsewhere in the village. "All you do is stare at me once your studies are complete. I have no intention of hurting Mikoto-sama's boy."

Yeah, well, _logically_ thinking I am being a big dummy, and _just thinking in general_ , I really don't want her anywhere near Itachi.

Naturally, I drill her with questions, questions like: Who are you? Why are you so helpful, is it money or selflessness? What's your motive? and many more.

I pulled out the answers: "Kanka, and twenty years too old to be taking any smart from little toddlers like you" and "I get paid to do so", but it's still not enough. She's an enigma of questions that have some kind fallacy in them. I just know it.

I have to pull out the stops and use my child charms to get some answers.

"Wow, you're really good!" I gush to her as she changes Itachi's cloth diaper in ten seconds flat. "You must have been an amazing mother!"

I see her chin tighten from my angle. She pats Itachi's stomach that still has a piece of drying umbilical cord. "I'm a wet nurse. Never been a mother."

"Eh?" My heart soars. "How come? Your experience has to come from somewhere!" To sweeten the deal: "I bet you're a high ranking nurse, right? I believe in you!"

Oh, that does it. For the first time, she chuckles, a little, more like a shaky exhale. "I'm the highest ranking neonatal nurse. You're a bright one—not just because your words are far more articulate than any child I've nursed."

The feeling leaves my face. I try to cover it up by rubbing my nose and looking down. "Then are you bright, too? Born to become the best nurse in the Leaf?"

With her head lowered, a bang shields half her face with white and black from shadows. "...I was an average girl," she begins with a soft voice. "I had none of the fancy things you have. I did have eight sisters who had babies at twelve because where I lived, nothing young survived long. By the time I was a teen, I had two sisters and a nephew left."

I'm silent as she goes to sit in the bed to feed my brother again. I sprawl on the bed, mouth locked close.

"I loved no man. I could not wait to escape home and become someone better than a mother—only to realize that there was nothing wrong with being a mother. Somehow I found myself stuck as a nurse."

Vague... but a start. A week later, after spending hours of being Kanka's little assistant, she tells me another story, all due to my innocent comment of: "Mama must be afraid of being a mama, huh?"

I hit the right nerve. Kanka's dark eyes shine. "Mikoto-sama is not afraid of being a mother. No elite husband wants their wife to be stuck at home all day with a baby. It would be fine for some no-name civilian, but not to a leader. Imagine the condescension she'd face. Forced to wear maternal clothes that would be humiliating among other women, forced to devote every hour away from the thousands of a clan to one child, forced to spend precious time and sleep to care for a child—and she's no experienced mother, mind you! Instead of driving her mad with the stress of figuring out what her son wants, she puts that in the hands of an expert woman!"

Kanka glows. She looks decades younger in the height of her passion.

I vaguely remember my parents comforting me— _agh_ , the days blurred together. Every day was barely different. And the first few months between long, disorienting naps and the all-consuming effort of learning to control a body took away more memories.

But I remember a young Papa and Mama with their dazzling smiles, directed only at me.

"Did you nurse me too?" I say without any charm.

"Of course I did! Would've thought a bright boy as you could remember something like that!" She's teasing me. "Your chakra's changed much since I last nursed you, but your brain's still alright, isn't it?"

...I imagine... me... in place of Itachi... instinctively drinking to survive and grow, not really caring if it was Mama...

(—oh, Pain, I can't stop imagining me cradled against her giant chest—not so big it's an exaggeration, something less than Tsunade's—is that even okay? I'm going on nineteen in a two-year-old's body and she's probably more three times all my ages— _whatthehelldoyoucallthat_?)

"Ah," I blurt to escape my mind, "how do you always feed Itachi? I mean... I don't really understand how mamas and nurses do that!"

"It happens naturally when a woman is pregnant," Kanka tells me easily, having a natural love of teaching others. "Some women can't make enough milk though. Me? I'm not pregnant at all. However, I use my chakra to produce milk to feed you and Itachi here."

 _What_?

"Huh?"

Kanka places a glowing green hand on her bosom. "It's a delicate process. Hormones and whatnot—you'll learn more when you're old enough for your own wife and children. If I am not careful, I can upset the balance in my body and kill myself. But I'm not dead yet, hm?"

Kanka winks at me, although I only see the minute contraction of her face. Did she wink when I blinked? A nurse _can't_ have that kind speed.

Right?

* * *

 _june, year two_

I _can't_ take my doe-eye, future mass murderer of a little brother seriously.

"Itachan's got my finger," I sigh pleasantly, his dwarf fist clenched around my long digit warming my heart. I wiggle to see how firm his grasp is.

"Aren't you a little too fascinated by your brother," asks Mama with a giggle. She nudges me and the bed creaks as I rock a little. "Surely you've got other things to do, Takenaka."

"It's done! All so I can play with Itachan!" At that, Itachi's toothless mouth opens and closes on loop. I grab his pacifier with shuriken-shaped holder and slip it into his mouth where he munches on the thing like it's a bottle.

"He may not have wanted that," Mama tells me but doesn't take the pacifier out. "Don't spoil him because then I'll have to deal with him, you know."

Itachi Uchiha is only a fortnight old and finally out the grasp of the wet nurse Kanka. I expected to be repulsed by him due to his actions, but I find myself wide-eyed at his cuteness. From his gurgles to his silent-but-deadly farts, nothing this little guy can do bothers me.

Except... "What's that smell?" I say, bringing two fingers to pinch my nose shut.

Mama's face falls. "Oh. Looks like Itachi has made a number two."

Meaning crap—literally.

I... diligently assist my dear mother with clean up, amazed at how much stuff can come out of such a small person, all because of my love. Love can do crazy things.

Aside from cleaning up messes, I explore this new world, partly to get an anchor to hold onto. I find that when alone in my room at night, instead of sleeping, dark and noisy thoughts keep me awake.

 _Unsurprising, the same happened before I died._

I explore my home. As expected, it's a super traditional, Japanese building—probably built before my parents were born. It has two floors and an attic-like space at the top. My home is a layer cake in that the bottom floor is humongous and the upper floors grow consecutively smaller.

The house uses a lot of dark colors that look scary at night. The wooden floors are a deep chestnut color, and so is anything else having wood. The paper doors and dividers are an off-white, painted with primarily blue colors—like the blue dragon door for my room—or sometimes red. It's not a soft red: it is made to draw attention and it leave my hair standing on edge.

But I _may_ be paranoid.

Itachi's nursery is on the bottom floor near the back entrance. It's the only other room Kanka is allowed to go inside (the second being the kitchen). I'm free to roam around but if I do something stupid that requires Kanka to leave that room and go to me, I'll be in big trouble.

Odd how my parents trust her with their child and not their home.

Then again, I like to think that I can protect my brother from harm. For now.

I have to admit, though, that everything in my home is so simplistic and dark. Other than bedrooms, no room has a homely spark to it. All the gifts Mama and Papa get for me resides in their bedroom I'm not supposed to ever enter without permission—their room with a blue koi pond on their door.

And then there's something ninja related in every room of the house. Above our heads in the dining room is a painted portrait of Madara Uchiha. The entrance where our shoes and umbrellas are placed has the three Hokage's portraits. My toys, on the off chance they're displaced from my room, are fake shuriken and kunai and swords and other fake accessories like arm guards and cartoonish ANBU masks.

The best, most ninja part of my house: secret rooms and hidden compartments.

I don't have the ability to find the difficult ones. I _know_ they exist—partly because intuition, partly because the elite Uchiha men that come to discuss matters with Papa _never_ enter through the front door. (Just outside his office, I see their shadows displayed on the paper screen—the men who I never see enter or leave, like ghosts.)

I manage to find two obvious spots. One is a door leading to a small tunnel. It opens out to the roof and without much of a way down being two stories off the ground and all. For ninja, this is more than enough. For kids, well, we're squishy and I don't feel like becoming a Takenaka puddle on the ground.

The second one is a hidden door in the storage closet. It's not particularly well hidden behind the boxes (and even then, the boxes aren't _too_ heavy), so it's easy to slip in and open the door. A frosty breeze blasts my face and sends goosebumps all up and down my body. Inside, it's black, a darkness so complete it almost looks like I'm staring at a solid black wall. I have to rely on the dull blue glimmer of my chakra swirling in my palm.

The darkness extends to a staircase, dusty and ancient. I move slowly, my feet sometimes crunching on the dead remains of insects or the pebbles. Long after my eyes had adjusted to the dimness, I encounter a dark velvet curtain. It billows slightly, exposing ocean blue light. Bracing myself, I push through the curtains.

It's the attic.

I expected to see lost and forgotten things. No, the attic is decorated with ninja equipment, uniforms, old emblems and more. In some glass cases, there are weapons four times the height of me and still exude chakra (albeit faintly angry, cold chakra). There are _kanji_ to explain what I see, but they're traditional characters only—the equivalent of Shakespeare to a modern, untrained person. These characters only really show up in seals or super formal documents.

I walk further into the room, very aware of how loud my footsteps echo in the room. So loud, I'm sure Kanka hears them and is on her way to punish me. I take one step and my breath is gone.

An anger runs through me. A cold fire, it lingers in my chest and makes my heart race. I clutch it and drop to the ground.

 _What's going on?_

I'm not angry. Looking around, I haven't been caught. _Someone_ is pissed.

 _It might not even_ be _a someone_ …

And thinking that, well, I just _have_ to know what it is.

I used to be that I had no chance walking in the same world of ninja.

Clenching my teeth, I ignore every sensible instinct and move toward the thing causing me pain. My stumbling, almost unresponsive makes the journey longer than it has to be. But past the broken _ninjatou_ and an old, tattered flag, the source of it all lies ahead.

Before me, a war uniform stands behind glass. It used to be rich, deep blue color but has faded to a dull blue. The pants are losing their ash gray color and creeps steadily towards white. The armor under the cloth is cracked and chipped in a few places, making it look so fragile if I sneeze too hard it'll collapse.

On the glass, a small, gold rectangle has three _katakana_ characters. With it being the easiest of the three alphabets of Japanese I can read the name no problem.

 _Izuna_.

Like a baby that just got caught, I run out the attic.

* * *

 _june, year two_

"Takenaka, awake."

Feels like the night passed by in a blink. And yet, my body is a lot less alert than I remember. I sit up and rub my eyes, wondering why my room is so dark for it to be morning.

"Come on, now."

Papa is prodding me, urging me to wear dark colored clothes like he does.

"Are we going to a funeral?" I mumble, once the shirt is over my head.

Papa _almost_ smiles (which is _almost_ a twitch upwards) before frowning. "No. Something else."

Soon we're down stairs and I watch as Papa goes right past his shinobi shoes and to his plain sandals. He opens the door, gets covered by the pale blue softness of early morning.

And it that shine, I see his face, brighter than ever, a _huge_ replacement to his near constant scowl.

I try to keep awake for most of the trip, but I give up and hop on Papa's back, using his brown and silky locks as my pillow.

 _Kids have it easy sometimes_ , I think with a smile.

"Wake up, now. We're here."

The smell of water that opens my chest up hits me first. Then the sounds of water slapping the ground. Somehow, we've walked to a lake. Its waters are immobile, like a mirror more than anything.

Papa is kneeling over his opened scroll with three Japanese characters called Kanji I can't read yet. They look very familiar, though. He presses his palm to the first Kanji.

A puff of smoke fades to reveal a bucket of... homemade bait?

The second is a fishing rod—two, actually, and they seem quite expensive.

The third, well, Papa drips his blood on it and throws it out into the water. It drifts slowly before exploding and revealing a wooden boat painted royal blue.

" _Woah_ ," I breathe, which makes Papa grin.

He takes his equipment, water walks to the boat, and gets inside. The boat sways gently and it makes me glad I didn't eat breakfast. I'm not seasick, but I am half-awake and my body isn't acting right.

I take my seat across Papa and watch him use chakra to move our boat along the lake.

"Fine morning, isn't it?" Papa says. "I knew this would be the perfect day for fishing."

"Ah," I say as if I just realized what was going on. "Papa, I can't fish."

"Of course not. You're here to watch and learn." His pride is radiating. Papa baits his hook, saying, "Super special bait formula. Created it with my brother."

"You have a brother, Papa? I have an uncle?" Because _that's_ more interesting than bait.

"Not a blood brother. He is a close friend of mine."

"Who, who?"

"Ah! Over there—I sense a fish."

Papa casts his bait into the water and we wait a few moments. I'm trying to see out into the dark water and I swear Papa must have his Sharingan activated because I don't see anything.

Then Papa is reeling in and shifting the fishing rod left and right with a wicked grin on his face. "See, Takenaka? Didn't take long at all!"

"But I don't see anything—"

At that moment, the fish flops out the water. I catch a sight of a massive tail and a large splash.

"Papa!" I shout, on my feet and leaning over the edge. "You have to get that fish!"

"There's no _have to_ but _will_ ," Papa quips back.

And before long, at our feet is a giant fish at fourteen kilograms.

"Not bad," Papa comments, failing to hide his excitement. "There are bigger, better, and more special fish in the sea, but this is a good first catch for us, son."

Its wet skin glimmers dreamily in the early dawn. This fish is, simply, a long and really slender dart with an impressively long snout.

"It's a Vesper Gar, one of the most stubborn fish you'll ever meet. I lost thousands of ryo in catching my first one," Papa tells me, his expression blank. "It was a nightmare. However, with my Sharingan, this special bait, and a little bit of chakra, this fish is nothing but breathing air."

I laugh, to see him struggling not to get giddy as a child. "You're amazing, Papa! Maybe someday I could be like you!"

Papa smiles before looking at something behind me.

"Hey-o, mini Fugaku! That fish's nothing compared to this baby!"

I start to turn in the direction of the youthful voice. "Huh?"

A man, a ninja, stands on the water with a sopping wet _kimono_ top and _monpe_. Hooked on a sheath strapped to his back, the leather tightening the nearby clothing and exposing his shapely chest underneath, is a bloodied spear, and in his hands is _our_ Vesper Gar, but far, _far_ bigger.

"So cool!" I shout without thinking.

The man casually walks to us, only a scruffy chin and jawline visible under his _sandogasa_ hat.

"I'm trying to teach my son the traditional way," Papa says with a blank expression, but I feel there's something deeper there.

"But is it the fun way?" The man sits on our boat's edge and tilts it dangerously on one side, he and that giant fish.

But now I'm in touching distance of him. I can smell the sharpness of wine on him, enough that it makes my nose aches.

The man flops his catch in our boat and the boat leans a little less to one side.

Papa ignores the fish. "It's fun in its own right. Even though the technique is nothing like yours, I still think this is the most effective way of catching fish." He gestures to his fishing rod.

"You think so?" The man faces Papa with his back to me, but I hear the smirk in his words.

"It's a fact, really."

And thus, the man leaps out into the water with his spear in hand, tipping his hat up to wink at me.

"Your pops can't stand it when I win," he grins, teeth surprisingly white. "I've got no Sharingan unlike him."

Papa baits his hook, a ghost of a smile on his face. "If you are going to just talk to my son, you'll definitely lose."

The man lowers his hat and dashes across the water's surface.

Meanwhile, Papa watches his bait a distance away.

The air is hot with the spirit of two men.

I don't who to cheer for. So, I cheer them both, inadvertently making their lust for competition grow stronger.

"—I've caught a big one, Hakushi!" Papa shouts over the sounds of the fish's struggle.

"Then that makes you and me both." Papa's friend rises with a giant fishing in tow and an animalistic grin.

Papa's little boat is soon piled high of giant fish breeds of all kinds. Their salty smell is obnoxious—I close my nose and can practically taste the fish—but the men don't recognize it.

Actually, I think they'll fight all day at this rate.

"Papa! Sir!" I shout. "The sun's long come up and I need to get home for my morning lessons. Let's end the battle here!"

It works.

With two last fish, Papa laughs with the man who pushes our heavy boat to shore. He seals up our fish and tells me to quickly get out the boat before sealing that up, too.

On solid ground, Papa gestures to the man with an open hand. "Takenaka, meet my brother, Hakushi!"

He's smiling as speaks. It's not a huge smile or any kind of smile Mama or Itachi can get out of him, but his face is no longer stuck in a deep scowl. Seeing that really improves my mood, so I bow lower than necessary and say, "I'm Takenaka Uchiha! It's nice to meet you, Hakushi-sir!"

"You're as suave as your pops," Hakushi comments, staring at me thoughtfully, "but as mysterious looking as your ma. Fugaku, you didn't tell me you were ready to be a real father."

He shrugs. "Life happens and you just adapt, brother."

 _You're excited, Papa, just admit it!_

More like akin to the way I first grew up, I enthusiastically shake Hakushi's hand, his large, rough, hairy hand. "If Papa likes you, then I like you even more!"

Papa chuckles.

Hakushi nods. "Nice. Alright, Fugaku, I'm taking your kid home with me."

"Mikoto would never allow you to."

"She doesn't have to know."

They jab and reminiscence as we head to the fishing hamlet just outside the Leaf. The hamlet is placed close to the northwest river port. It feeds from the Land of Earth to the heart of the Land of Fire.

Kanegasaki Transit has some of the fastest times of goods transportation. The geography book I read placed special emphasis over this. Plus, diverse fish and sea-life are abundant in its swift-moving waters. If a person has a license approved from the Earth Daimyou, one can fish in Kanegasaki Transit's waters.

Even now, a few men walk with fish still glittering in the sun, their wet bodies trapped in rope nets slung over shoulders. These men smile at one another, nod, greet friendly.

Except for the man Papa and Hakushi walk to. His smile becomes fake as soon as they make eye contact.

"Ninigi!" Papa drops his sealing paper on the ground in front of a tall and lanky man. "I have quite the treat for you!"

The man, Ninigi, brings his circular lensed glasses close to his face, the lens being a color of dark jade. He's flushed, though that may not be from excitement. Another hand wipes at his oil covered shorts. Dry and cracked toes clench and relax and clench repeatedly.

"Fugaku- _dono_! Hakushi- _dono_! It's been months since you two been 'ere!" He waves his hands with badly trimmed fingernails. "You didn't fish long, yeah?"

"I would estimate about an hour and a half," Hakushi confirms and I see he's somehow manifested a clear glass filled with a dark red liquid. "Nothing too phenomenal."

"Oh, then that's alright with me—" Ninigi stops as Papa unseals the fish. With a puff of smoke drawing every nearby fishermen's attention, the fish pile of Papa and Hakushi is taller than me and stops at Ninigi's mid-chest.

Ninigi lets out a sound. It reminds me of a deflated balloon and I smother a laugh.

"A bunch of rare finds and at good sizes to boot," Papa explains, less like a giddy kid. "I would estimate this at 300000 ryo at the highest."

 _Woah_!

"I... I don't have the money at this time," but Ninigi avoids looking at the fish.

"Well, pay in installments," Hakushi offers, voice husky from the burn of his liquor. "30000 ryo every month. 20000 to this guy and 10000 to me. You can do that, right?"

Ninigi nods. "Yes sirs, but—"

"You ought to sell these fish soon," Papa tells him. "The effects of unsealing only last so long. If you want a good profit for them, you should get a move on."

What? Papa couldn't just enclose the fish and unseal it bit by bit, that way the fish doesn't rot? Why doesn't he do that?

Ninigi nods. "Right, right. Thank you, Fugaku- _dono_ , Hakushi- _dono_..."

As we leave, I say to Papa, "What does he do with all those fish? Why'd you deliver him so much?"

His lip twitches upwards before he tells me, "Ninigi used to taunt Hakushi and I about catching fish as ninja. Said that ninja lived too much in luxury and couldn't handle the dirt and sweat of fishing. For a long time, we had horrible luck.

"Once we finally started getting good catches, Ninigi was our salesman. He thought he could use us to do all the fishing for him. So brother thought we would abuse his reliance on us, as revenge for his deception. We would fish all day and night and give to him a giant stack of fish, most of which he couldn't sell and had to let rot. But Ninigi wouldn't dare admit to a Clan heir he lied."

Hakushi, walking ahead of us, guffaws. "Then we made our catnip for fish—our fishnip, and the goodies wouldn't stop coming! Poor man!"

"How's that poor?" I look between both men, but Hakushi responds faster.

"It's like betting on Chuunin in the test-thing. You find whatever fish is most valuable and rare, fish a whole lotta of them if you can, then take it to the market. The first dozen or so brings in the cash. But the more the market has of the fish, the more the price and need go down. By the hundredth fish, he's losing time and money. Either he eats the fish or lets it rot at that point, but then he doesn't make any money at all and the fishermen'll be annoyed by him."

I gasp... before it turns into a grin. "That's too cruel."

Papa keeps his expression blank. "Anyone would be wise not to cross the Uchiha Clan."

Aside from messing with Itachi, my workload has not eased up, even for a toddler. The new baby glow has worn off of Papa, and now he focuses on the tensions plaguing the world. Which means preparing his eldest son for the wonders of war.

At this point in time, my family isn't so hated, making it easy for Papa to hire teachers—more technically, private tutors. It's _not fun_ , to say the least, to work so hard while so little—to fill my brain with facts and rules that threaten to erase my happy childhood memories of my life before.

 _But you can't really complain_ , I think. _You're not in a position to._

My parents hired four teachers for me to teach me the fundamentals (except for the one I really care about most: _ninja arts_. Papa says I'm too young for that stuff, but the lessons will be coming soon enough).

There's Karada, my etiquette and speech teacher, who teaches me manners, poise, and proper speech ever since I could walk. Papa figured instead of un-learning bad habits, he'd make it so I could only grow up knowing good habits. Even with memories and habits from my old world, muscle memory has me walking around all stiffy and regal like most Uchiha without me noticing.

There's Marui, who teaches me basic Ninja Academy academics so I can get ahead of the other clan children and villagers (though she tells me all the clans do the same thing for their children; really it's a battle of the best child). She's very patient and awkward with her bottle-lens glasses and soft voice. I do try to be patient, but there's only so much stuttering and excessive pauses one can take from an adult woman.

There's Yashiro Uchiha, a cousin twice removed, who teaches me Uchiha politics, economics, and history, the most boring of all teachers. He's one of the more elite Uchiha and frequently near my father's side. I can fathom why Papa would want a stiffy and narcissistic man on his side other than politics.

There's Nozonda, who teaches me miscellaneous items that would be useless to hire a specific teacher for: sowing the Uchiha crest on clothing, practicing fire safety, calligraphy and the like. At times, it can become mind-numbingly boring. Doesn't help that the old man talks so _slow_.

The four of them come in and out of the "study room" built outside next to my home (admittedly the most elaborate Uchiha home in the compound) dedicated just to me absorbing information year round like an obedient sponge. On the biggest wall, positioned between two windows of my home, is a gigantic calendar detailing my schedule for the week, color-coded and written in my mother's small, neat print.

Every day of the week, I see one or two of the tutors. They eat at my time (maybe biting three or five hours away) and I don't notice it until I count for sleeping, eating, and personal hygiene. There are only 168 hours in a week, and, as a two-year-old, I've only got _forty_ hours free.

Oh, the best part is that the sessions (other than Nozonda's lessons) are less learning and trying like a classroom and more like a rehearsal. I receive homework as practice and lessons as a test. So depending on how brutal my teachers are or how difficult the subject matter is, I usually get around ten hours where I do absolutely nothing. Ten arbitrary hours—whether it's the middle of the night and I can't sleep for two hours or cuddling Itachi for thirty minutes or receiving a lecture from Papa for nine hours.

 _Maybe Itachi wasn't born with such a distant personality..._

I understand _why_ everyone is pushing me. As an Uchiha, we have our honor to uphold. We are on the brink of war not even two decades apart. A part of me enjoys this challenge despite my complaints. I mean, this alternative is way better than babysitting and cleaning around the house with parents working long hours just for us to live paycheck to paycheck.

Maybe I really like Mama's encouraging words and amazement of my hard work.

But when a man's working day is done, I head elsewhere to enjoy the remainder of my break. I have to make the most of every day.

I find myself in the Leaf Library, outwardly an unassuming place colored pink like strawberry ice cream, feeling a little guilty being so far from home and away if Mama needs me. The library has strict times, lasting from sunrise to sunset. It's never too busy in here, a shame as there's plenty of information to absorb.

I remember hearing that Itachi's intelligence primarily came from the dozens of books he read. From books talking of the Sage of Six Paths, the origins of all the Five Great Nations, of Bloodline Limits and Bloodline Selections, Itachi had read them all. By the time he was a Chuunin, he had the wisdom and maturity of a Hokage.

I'm no super reader, not even a fast one. I've written a few reports and won scholarship essays, though, so I _probably_ have the academic mind necessary for this. I start with broad concepts in my search, glad that ninja in this world give their people _some_ information. A part of me suspects the _really good_ information is kept a ninja trade secret, however.

And to start, I select _Ninshuu, A Life, A Concept_ by Tsuki Yuuhi. Best to understand the concept of chakra before trying to do complex actions with it. Right next to it is _Ninshuu's Never Before Spoken History_ also by the same author and takes on a more historical point of view rather than technical.

Searching down the thick, oak shelves smelling like fresh trees and stumbling through the clever scroll displays, I find another item of interest titled _Interconnection: Chakra and You_ and a cool scroll more infographic than novel: _An Introduction to the Chakra System_. I grab a cloth bag (" _Reading expands your horizons! Grab a book today!_ " is plastered on the front) to stuff my loot in and step to the librarian desk to check out.

A woman gazes at me with plain brown eyes and white curls that appear wet as they border her face. Exhaling, she says, "Name and age."

I flash her a brilliant smile and make sure I'm standing up properly despite the heavy bag. "Takenaka Uchiha, two."

Whether or not it's my book selection or my Noble Clan emblem on my back, the librarian doesn't tell me to go away. I suppose adults are used to trusting children that act more adult than them. A frightening thought...

"Two is too young for solo checkout," she monotones. "I can only checkout under Fugaku-sama's or Mikoto-sama's accounts. Where are they? You should be smart enough to know not to check out books without permission."

Her tone is more annoyed than scolding.

"Mama and Papa aren't here." I shake my head emphasize the point. "You know I'm their son?"

"How stupid do you think I am? I saw the Uchiha emblem on your back and your name's a _dead giveaway_. But even if I didn't, you're the spitting image of Fugaku-sama and Mikoto-sama. With that similarity, your father's enemies become your enemies," the librarian adds venomously.

My smile twitches. "May I please check out?"

"They'll be receiving a notice in the mail for this. Are you still going to check out?"

Wordlessly, I hand her my items, still having a little difficulty even though I'm tall for my age.

The librarian leans back in her squeaky chair, turns the books over and opens the scroll slightly, jots the numbers down with pen and paper, and places a black box between us.

"Summon chakra to your hand, please," she drawls.

"What for?" Curiosity piqued, I blurt out that response.

"To check out." I stare back, and she scowls. "So that we have _someone_ to blame for any lost or damaged book. Do you not understand how this works? You'd be the first Uchiha who..." She trails off. "If _you_ can't do that, then I need your blood."

" _Blood_?"

"Your blood already _has_ chakra in it, no matter how small a trace. Villagers do this all the time." Her pitch rises. "Don't tell me an _Uchiha_ can't do something as simple as this."

I haven't quite manifested my Uchiha pride yet, so I get my finger pricked of my _own rational_ volition. The librarian drips my blood on a glass circle then drips a few drops of the black ink in the box on top. She swirls. A stamp is pressed into the liquid and transferred to her paper. I can't see anything else she does, though she does shoot me a venomous look.

"It's over. Take the books and leave. Just remember if those books are lost and/or damaged, you'll be forced to buy them or work to pay them off. Stolen books can be retrieved via the stamp you gave me, but the chance of recovery is ninety-five percent—if we're unable to find it, you'll have to pay for the item including tax. Please read the full document found near the exit," with that, I might as well be invisible by how she ignores me and goes back to eyeing the people in her library.

"Thank you, ma'am," I dip my head in a quick bow, grab my bag, and get a move on.

* * *

 _june, year two_

First thing on my agenda is catching up on Ninshuu history because that's the approach I've always taken to learning things. I like knowing the era that created important things before learning about the thing itself. For example, before creating a Supreme Court case brief, it was best to understand the history surrounding the case first. (Because then you'd know the difference between Scott v. Sandford and Brown v. Board of Education, for one.)

As I read Ninshuu's Never Before Spoken History (an absolute monster with vocabulary that leaves me fumbling for a dictionary), Ninshuu's history has a few aspects I never knew. Hagoromo Ootsutsuki felt chakra was a way of self-reflection and interconnection among living things, not even requiring spoken communication. Indra Ootsutsuki (the book drifts away from its objective tone to subtly paint him as a progenitor of shinobi) is the one who used chakra to connect spiritual and physical energies together, isolated, and not among everyone, creating ninjutsu, which led to war and a cycle of hatred, one I'm deeply stuck in. Asura was chosen to carry on the teachings of Ninshuu which hardly remained unparalleled as Ninshuu took far too much time and effort for it to be useful whereas the weaponized chakra was far more accessible and powerful.

Indra would the become the primeval ancestor of my clan, the Uchiha. Unlike the praise he receives postmortem for creating ninjutsu we take for granted today, his descendants receive nothing but distasteful distrust.

The rest of the book is the anecdotes of people who were alive at time and how they comprehend the Ninshuu using documents or stories passed down from ancestors. It steadily creeps into the present, a few years after the Second War, before the book concludes. It praises the steadily decreasing temples and shrines in the Land of Fire that still take the time to let the Ninshuu legacy continue to the next generation.

I find my head throbbing from grasping such a concept all at once.

"Takenaka! You're late for dinner! Are you awake?" Mama shouts from the stairs judging on how muffled her voice is.

It's a well needed break. I've got things to ask them—wait, should I give away how advanced I am? Well... once Itachi really starts to grow, he won't really understand to hide his exceptional nature. So he could possibly be seen as better than me. There could be a power struggle. Yes, I'll ask them mature things like this.

Papa sits at the head of the table, eyes closed until Mama nudges him gently. She sits next to him on the side with Itachi in her grasp. I sit across from her. (A part of me recalls the lonely atmosphere of Mama, Papa, and Sasuke eating together on table low to ground, food inexpensive and plain.)

Dinner is fancy despite the fact that Mama cooks and lately she's been recovering from labor. So a servant? I've never seen a servant in this house. But it's no surprise that people enjoy doing favors for us regardless of any ulterior motives. My father isn't a bad leader. He usurped no man. My grandfather, his father, gave his only son the power of the entire Uchiha Clan.

I smile at him Mama's smile I've practiced in the mirror. That breaks the solemn lines of his face as he raises an eyebrow, "Yes, Takenaka?"

"Are there any temples in the Leaf?" I begin, to ease him into my theme.

"Of course there is. We've visited the Nindera for New Year's Day and for your fallen brethren," he replies easily.

"Do they teach Ninshuu?" I say with confidence. Papa hates when my voice wavers uncertainly.

I see Mama look up at me in the corner of my eye before moving her doe eyes to Papa, a question in her body. "So you've learned what Ninshuu is."

"Yes sir! Nozo-sensei was talking about it. I got curious. I think it sounds very..." I search for a word but get only English synonyms. "...important."

Papa watches me evenly, breathes slowly, and Mama's flickering attention between him and me is almost too distracting. Ninshuu isn't a bad thing, is it? We've never talked about it in this house, Nozonda has never talked about it once.

"Ninshuu of all things," Papa mutters. "Personally, I don't believe in Ninshuu. It was a doctrine created for cowards. You shouldn't give it the time of day."

I can't stop myself from saying "why".

His body tenses up. I've crossed a line by questioning him. Yet he answers, "We are warriors. What can we gain from such a pacifist way? Forget it and let's eat."

* * *

 _june, year two_

I read the next book, Ninshuu, A Life, A Concept, in the middle of the night, sacrificing sleeping hours for learning. This displays the lifestyle and routine of a follower of Ninshuu, beautiful quotes and poems, small graphics and art that glorifies Ninshuu and Hagoromo. A shame how there's barely any temples devoted to Ninshuu in the Leaf.

"Ninshuu is a supreme form of understanding. It understands other's happiness and pain and every complex sensation in between. As much feedback as it receives, it gives just as much from the self. In short, it is empathy."

It goes on to say chakra sensors are not only hypersensitive shinobi, but those who are more understanding of their self-identity and the identities of others. Having this gift would lead to comprehending Ninshuu that much simpler.

"That's a shame," I laugh, fighting back a cold sweat, "I'm terrible at sensing chakra."

The Takenaka Uchiha before my complete awareness manifested was a very typical boy. He didn't play with the chakra within him or tried to sense it in others, he just adored his parent's affections and teachings. He's left me with a lot of work to do!

(And by he I mean myself, for not being more proactive.)

Well, it will be difficult, but I can manage so long as I don't give up. I just have to learn empathy—or something beyond empathy that impacts the soul and ties it to every living thing. No sweat.

"The first step for a human to achieve supreme empathy is by making themselves a stable anchor. This can only be achieved through self-reflection and comprehension of one's self in the passage of time and space."

My luck was looking up. Meditation will help me understand Ninshuu as well as increase my spiritual energy I can use for ninjutsu.

I am learning two polar opposite ideals at the same time. The universe has a way with irony.

Meditation in this world is a level higher. My football coach had told me to try introspection when I first woke up in the mornings to help calm my mind for games. It was a simple breath in and out and don't think.

Mediation in this world is more like feeling the rise and fall of energy within the self and understanding how whatever characteristics the chakra takes is the ultimate representation of the self. Interconnection: Chakra and You defines the chakra system as not life force exactly—that's more like blood pumping through the body, the brain working to keep everything in order—but is so involved in the process of living that it makes just as big of an impact.

"Chakra to a human being is like muscles to a human body. There exists a structure via the skeletal system, however the body could not move, could not express itself in smiles or tears, could not breathe or digest. It is the 'push' that gives our bodies motion."

It's difficult. For me, at least. A full month passes before I can mediate for five minutes and feel the slight tug of energy within me. It's an itch on my nose, barely there for me to analyze it.

Another month passes before I start seeing real progress. In my core, the heart of the chakra system, I feel the spiritual and physical energies spiraling out of order. The spiritual part of me is an ice-cold river that reacts strongly the more I reach it. The physical part of me is hot sand, grainy and sticky and as stubborn as a noble gas as I pull at it. The latter affects my body more, like chills or a stuffed up nose. The spiritual part affects my memories and concentration. I need to be careful with these two.

* * *

 _july, year two_

From my four tutors—Yashiro, Karada, Marui, and Nozonda—I like Karada the best. I'm mostly ambivalent towards Nozonda. Marui and Yashiro are my more annoying tutors.

I'm not completely allowed to leave home due to outside tensions and the threat of looming war. I'm usually stuck at my house, to bounce my energy off Mama and Itachi and Papa—whenever he's home—and as much as I care for them, it gets on my nerves.

Isolating myself with studies hardly helps matters. The longer I stay trapped in that quiet room, the more and more lonely I begin to feel.

So when Karada's soft steps alert the Uchiha Compound's stray cat that sleeps on our porch sometimes, I'm throwing open the door and bowing, "Good morning, Sensei!"

I see his shoes, new and immaculate, cushioned sandals to quench loud noises, and feel pain in the back of my head. I rub at it as I stand, as the pain goes through my body and it's clear some kind of rod hit me.

"You are too eager, little one. You must'nt forget yourself."

—is Karada's voice I like equating to the posh-est British accent. The old man cools himself with an amber-colored fan of dancing dragons, the delicate motion making his silver hair windblown. His thin yukata uses blues and pale colors due to the heat.

I remember that I completely butchered my appearance. I drop my arms to my sides (even though it feels horribly awkward, it looks natural) and smile like I see Mama do. "My apologies, Sensei."

I allow my teacher in, him muttering, "Perhaps I should prepare more homework for you..." and me keeping a perfectly pleasant face as I go make the white tea Karada loves.

"Ah, little one, your mother and brother... still, they sleep?"

I reply to him as I rinse off our finest china on my step, "Yes. Hm... actually, I think Itachi may be up but not moving around."

"Oh? Can you sense him?"

"Not through the means of chakra." My smile slips into a cocky grin. "It's through my love to him as a big brother! I have to protect my boy!"

Despite him only being a month old, I must care for him. He is a delicate bean.

As usual, the first few minutes are an assessment of what I've learned, under the guise of two associates chatting while drinking tea. The Takenaka before me has known this man ever since the months before my first year. Most of my knowledge of Karada comes from his memories that lacks my consciousness.

He is the oldest teacher of mine, with Marui, Yashiro, and Nozonda coming into the picture when I turned two. I don't think there's a solid bond behind us, not with our every meeting being a rehearsal and his intent masked behind decades of practiced perfection, but I can't help my urge to learn more about him.

"Takenaka."

I immediately look at Karada over my tea at his Takenaka-kun. "Sir?"

"Excellent work, however," and he pauses, smiling, and wrinkles from his shut eyes are reaching his temples and cheekbones, "this tea has a beautiful appearance and tastes of dirt in a battlefield."

I struggle to keep smiling back. "Yes, I've never been good at cooking..."

There's something so confining with cooking and following a rulebook.

The next two hours are my attempts at prying into his life. No dice. I know nothing of him. Personal questions are deemed "impolite" and awarded a smack on the head. Whereas I hesitate and think of polite ways to phrase my sentences, he can create a lie so convincing and it only takes half of a second—probably a tenth of a second. His body is so carefully draped with fabric I can't see any scars or wounds.

He's good.

But the more I fail, the more it motivates me to try harder.

I will crack the Karada Code.

"We will meet again two days from now," he hums pleasantly, handing me a thick scroll—he loves antiquity. "There is your homework. I added twice as much work for the break. Come Monday and I will test you and review your homework. If you do not try at home—"

"—you will surely fail during lesson time," I complete, my body, fatigued and sore, cringing internally at Karada's long list of homework.

Then a smack. Then the pain of what feels like my head is split like a banana peel. On reflex, my eyes water.

"Patience, patience, must I repeat? Perhaps you'll learn one day. Good day, little one."

I bow and shut the door, rubbing the hot and pulsing spot his fan viciously attacked! Ow...

"Takenaka, are you crying?" I whip around to my father leaning against door frame, sweat still shining on his face. "Straighten out. Men don't succumb to tears like that. We are strong."

He walks to me while I wipe away my unshed tears. His steps stop at my side, a firm hand squeezes my shoulder, and off the steps go.

* * *

 _august, year two_

"Takenaka! Watch your brother while I'm gone, alright?"

I jump into Mama's soft bed and Itachi stirs in his sleep. Someone else in the Uchiha family has died as a spy behind enemy lines (though I'm not supposed to know that fact and Mama feels somewhat guilty for telling me). My parents have left to conduct the funeral service while I get to see after my two-month-old brother.

He's so serene as he sleeps. I let out a happy breath.

Luckily for me, lessons are cancelled today. I fully intend on meditating until I get my chakra's nature down pat. I can't let Itachi shine before I do. I really don't want him graduating at six and seeing his teammates die before him. I have to beat him.

But in the middle of my meditation, Itachi's groans snap me back into reality. He twists and tightens his fists on the pillows.

"Nightmare, Itachan?" I hope my voice can soothe him somehow as I rub his chubby stomach. "It's okay. It's only a dream. Don't worry..."

He hardly quiets down.

I want to jump in his dream and save him from himself—

Wait, what about Ninshuu?

(It couldn't hurt to _try_ , right?)

With my palm pressed on his belly, I focus deeply in the chakra within me and try to feel the little ounces of chakra within him, too. I try to use the chakra dancing under the skin of fingers to connect to the chakra under his flesh.

 _Empathy, empathy—put yourself in the place of me..._

Heat and frost blossom within me. My heart picks up. The world starts to tilt. My writhing brother keeps some part of me awake.

Then it's there. A glimpse of a tepid sensation. Something so foreign I know it's not mine at all. It touches me and retreats just as quickly. I need to dig deeper into the force.

My energy intensifies and brushes the sensation.

A heart. Pumping faster than my own. Heat and blood. The spasm of lungs. I'm watching Itachi slow his cries, but it feels like I can _see_ faint blurs of his organs inside his torso. There's a deep frown on his face as his mouth is shut tightly. His heart stutters. His lungs expand. I watch his face turn red before Itachi bellows and descends into sobbing.

His volume shakes me and ruins whatever I was doing. I retract my hand as the fog in my head clears. He's crying. Isn't Mama supposed to care for him? No... she's gone. I'm left.

"It's—it's all right, Itachi. It's all right," my trembling voice can't possibly be comforting. I hold Itachi on my chest as his sobs quiet down.

What did I just _do_?

* * *

 _september, year two_

 _Any further practice of Ninshuu is not going to be on humans until I know what I'm doing._ It's _too... invasive? It's kind of scary having that much knowledge._

I stick with animals for now, like the little squirrels in the trees in my backyard, no doubt grateful for the Leaf's perpetual summer climate pushing back autumn. Animals don't actually have chakra. Some of them carry residue of chakra and it feels as though I'm prying into a ghost's energy. Animals do have energy like humans as well, but most of their energy is physical and very little is spiritual. The unsophisticated nature of these energies is way better than humans. It's like a bike with training wheels compared to a bullet train.

Oh, but animals do have memories and personalities beyond their basic impulses and instincts. Some animals are far more clever than they seem. Coincidentally, their spiritual energy tends to be higher, their energies begin to feel more advanced, like a human.

(Maybe that's a reason why some animals can speak?)

"What if I could communicate to you animals?" I wonder out loud next to a robin in a puddle. "I'd probably be the best spy ever, hm?"

"What are you doing out here alone? All finished with lessons?"

I bite back a surprised yelp as Mama sits in the grass next to me, smelling of fresh cookie dough. "Itachan?"

"Sleeping," she singsongs. "Kanka has him right now." Mama tilts her head and one of her bangs blocks her eye. "You've been going outside a lot lately. Something out here got you interested?"

I press my hands onto the ground to lean back and gaze at the cloudless sky. "There's war soon," I say bluntly, as I've practiced explaining my sudden thirst for knowledge. "I want be strong as possible. To protect all of you. Every last Uchiha."

Mama hums. "How very selfless of you, but you don't need to grow up that quickly. War is—" A breeze flutters the tree leaves before she speaks again, "I'm proud of you, Takenaka. No matter what. So, enjoy living everyday with me and Itachi."

Mama's smiling with teeth showing. My lips can't stop from pulling upwards. "Mama, there's something I learned how do... and I need some feedback."

"Hm? But I thought you weren't learning ninja arts yet? Is that why you're out here so often?"

"Whoops." My smirk fades. "A few weeks ago, I did something really weird with my chakra. It sort of... meshed with Itachi's. I felt the chakra within him."

Mama looks away, face like stone. "Were you giving chakra to him?"

"No?" Mama makes a face. "I mean... I felt hyper-aware of my own chakra and... then I felt hyper-aware of his chakra... and it all just blend together in sync."

Like we were one.

"Then that's not chakra transfer," she states. "It's something beyond that."

Finally, I ask what I've started this conversation for. "Can I try it out on you? You're a Jounin, so I know nothing's going to go wrong! Please?" My curiosity transcends my fear.

She looks very doubtful. And a little bit intrigued. I'm glad my mother is so young because she hasn't had enough time to become weary of trying new things. "Be very careful, Takenaka."

I put my hand on her belly (her pregnancy weight gain is almost all the way gone, too) and feel my energies. Heat and frost. A burning cool.

Unlike Itachi, Mama has way more chakra. It's too easy to feel the chakra dancing under her flesh. There's so much of it. Her chakra is sweet ice cream—peaches and cream. A bit slippery on the surface but so easy to dig to the core as I press on.

Her heart is thudding. She's holding her breath. Her muscles are tensed. Mama is full of so much heat and darkness.

Pressing deeper, her chakra splits into spiritual and physical energies that matches my own burning cool.

Our breaths harmonize.

A surge of chakra travels up to her brain where our connection is weak. It's the surge that starts the disconnect, where Mama gasps apart of me, and suddenly her hand around my wrist pulling it away and severing the cord.

I look up and see red and black eyes meeting my gaze.

"Mama?" I stammer. I don't know what I want to say.

She very pale. The gears in her head are turning. "Strange," her voice trembles, "I've never seen anything like that before..."

"What's—What's wrong?"

"That wasn't a chakra transfer at all, yet it felt just like a transfer." She's oblivious to me. "I felt a small portion of his chakra like it was my own..."

She stares at the ground for a long time, her delicate digits trapping my wrist. Finally she looks at me, blinks, and it's her pretty face of black hair and eyes.

"Takenaka," she says serenely, "you should never do that around your father. Ever."

"Why? What did I do?" I rub my freed hand.

"I've made a treat for you and the other children in the kitchen." Mama stands and brushes grass off her skirt. "It's your favorite. Let's eat before they cool too much."

I stand, too, and find smiling harder than expected. "Yes, Mama."

* * *

 _october, year two_

Papa and Hakushi drop off another impressive load of fish for Ninigi. I've had a fun time fishing, but, well, I've watched them do all the work and them chat without including me. So, the idea of heading back to my room to train is torture.

"Papa, Mr. Hakushi," I call. "I... I want to fish, too! I don't like watching you two do all the work. I feel useless."

(—well, it's more of an _exaggeration_ than a lie.)

Papa face is blank as he thinks, but Hakushi, more sober than usual, throws his hands up in the air. "What's there to lose, Fugaku? You tell me he's clever for his age. Let's see what mini Fugaku can do."

 _Aw_.

Papa hesitates. "Hakushi, you teach Takenaka."

Hakushi cheers. "Godfather and son bonding! Never thought I'd get the chance to say that."

"Yes," smirks Papa, "and if anything goes wrong, Mikoto will hold you accountable."

We remain in the fishing hamlet to take advantage of its name. Hakushi snatches a branch off a dying tree in someone's front yard and, using Papa's kunai, sharpens one end.

"That's a kiddie spear," he tells me.

I take the stick, cringing at the rough wood and tiny creatures crawling on the bark.

Hakushi hops into the river and walks on the water. I'm not so eager to join. I test out a foot while Papa says from his vigil on the dock towering above me, "Takenaka can't perform that technique yet. He doesn't start chakra training until four."

"Huh? Why so late?"

I get one foot to float. A river is way harder than something stagnant. The water below moves with a fury and forces me to stay alert. Also, the sway. _Urgh_...

"His system needs to become more mature. I don't want him to damage his future ninja career."

"What a fuddy duddy. Being a killjoy as always."

"It's called responsibility."

"Synonymous to boring."

"If you're not going to teach him, he'll be disappointed. They say the first interactions are the most important for young children so easily influenced by the world—"

Papa is being boring, so I tune him out. While doing so, my other foot balances on the water. I think it's easier for me because my sandals are so thin compared to the thick soles of shinobi shoes and I already understand how the technique is performed.

But it will take time to master this skill, something I notice as I take a couple of steps forward onto this frictionless, wobbling plane. It's roller-skating all over again.

"Mr. Hakushi, I did it!" I call with my kiddie spear ready for action. "Let's do this!"

I can't see Hakushi's eyes, but I imagine they're proud. "Oi, Fugaku, look at him! Didn't you say something about kids being easy to influence?"

From behind me, Papa's voice is slightly panicked. "Takenaka! Who taught you that?"

"I watched Mr. Hakushi, Papa!" I wobble some more to Hakushi's side.

I can see Hakushi's stubble and fight an urge to not touch it. I didn't get that much hair in my old life. "Now, mini Fugaku, this is how a real man fishes! Eye that fish down and launch that spear where the fish is gonna be. Be as powerful as possible, else the fish'll get away and you just end up all wet."

He points to a yellow fish below his feet, a fish that puckers its lips and grazes the surface.

He smirks, and the spear goes down. It looks so casual when Hakushi does it, but the spear cracks the air and bursts through the water's surface with a huge splash. I end up getting soaked from my knees down.

He picks up the spear where a fish flops and jerks, the spear's point perfectly piercing its eyes.

"Now you try, kiddo."

Hakushi doesn't make it easy to learn. Time after time, I see fish and I aim, but completely miss. There's no graze, no close call. Several times my arms are in motion and I see my fish dart away seconds before my kiddie spear penetrates the water.

And with every thrust, I almost topple forward into the chilly waters. I recover my balance like a terrible ice skater.

"You'll get one, mini fuddy!" Hakushi shouts, slapping my back. "Get personal!"

My chakra abandons me. I fall forward and crash into the murky turquoise waters. I have enough sense to hold my breath and recall my swimming lessons from the old world, but a blue fish swims past my face and weapon and makes me freeze.

I note, dimly, this is probably the closest my kiddie spear has gotten to a fish.

My clothes become tight against my chest and—my ears pop—colors burst to life everywhere—

"—forgot you're not a ninja yet. Coulda fooled me," Hakushi is saying as he dangles me by my coat, then drops me over his shoulder, patting my back to help me as I cough. "Yeah, yeah... we're coming, Fugaku, _dearest_."

Papa stands me up once we're on dry land again, wiping my damp black locks out my face and accessing me for any injuries.

"I'm fine," I say through uncontrollable shivers. "That was a lot of fun!"

Papa still isn't pleased. "Take a break for today, Takenaka."

Before leaving the fishing hamlet, Hakushi teaches me how to skin and cook a fish—using Fire Release courtesy of Papa. It's gross, sweaty work, but we bond over blood and food.

* * *

 **NEGATIVE FIFTEEN END**


	3. ZERO: PT2

**A Measure of Darkness**

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." Reincarnation!OC

— Robert Frost, _Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening_

* * *

 **ZERO 2/2**

 _ **A Measure of Darkness**_

 _Only by night do the brightest stars shine._

* * *

"...and Rin smiled at me! Like — like a real smile!" Obito raves as I practice basic Academy physical training. Push ups, crunches, planks, lunges, suicides, the like, nothing too unfamiliar from my football days. "I said her medical ninjutsu was really coming a long way from when she could barely revive fishes and she blushed, too!"

"Ah... she must think Big Brother is" — I push myself up and exhale — "very thoughtful, huh!"

"I hope so! Rin's so pretty when she smiles! I really like it when she smiles at _me_! Or when I make her _smile_!"

"Then the next step" — I drop down low, my chin touching the early spring grass, inhale — "is getting her a present!"

Obito has poor money management skills and our family usually forces him to give up most of his mission money. I'll have to lend him a few ryo to get a gift with.

"She likes bracelets — ah, since she's a girl, of course!" I fumble, temporarily forgetting that Takenaka has _not_ seen the purple girl with bangles on her wrists. "Get her a good luck bracelet. Or something that could help her with medical ninjutsu."

"Good idea! You're so smart!"

I _hate_ that word.

 _Ah, you're so smart,_ suchandsuch _! You'll become successful one day!_

And yet I died without a diploma...

"Rin, Rin, _Rin_!" Obito signsongs.

By next week, I'm tired of listening to his singing. It's April of my third year and I still feel weak. I know I'm not supposed to do ninja arts until I turn four, but I want to show Papa how advanced I am, so that I can prevent Itachi from becoming a prodigy.

"Big Brother," I say, "I want to learn the fireball technique."

Obito blinks wildly. "Eh? Ain't you three? That's way too early!"

"I want to be as cool as you," I say through gritted teeth. "As a favor, please teach me, Sensei!"

He turns red. "O-Okay, just knock off the formality, eh? It's not gonna do much because you're so young, but... yeah, I guess I owe you one!"

He teaches me the seals I already know and a small fireball appears. I can feel the stinging heat on my face.

"Now you try."

But when I fly through the seals, mold my chakra just like the _Handy Guide to Hand Seals_ said, nothing happens.

"Huh — but, you're using the right hand seals! It should be working!" Obito huffs immensely at my failure, taking it as a blow to his reputation.

I keep trying.

Trying like I always do.

Because I'll never be able to do this if I give up.

My hands are aching as I try to force them into the six combinations needed to unlock this technique for the umpteenth time. A pulsating _throb throb throb_ in time with my heart. I tried using Tiger twice in the sequence — beginning and the end — whereas Obito preferred the easier Snake seal in the beginning. My chakra responds adequately but no flames are made.

We Uchiha created _this technique_ that other ninja have stolen and derived imperfect forms of. I _should_ be able to do this by blood alone.

I remember a book line I shrugged off: "... _the fire element is notoriously stubborn for obeying the user's will_ ". Isn't so inaccurate, huh?

"I'll keep trying, Big Brother," I pant and take a knee. "How did you manage it?"

His fireball is nothing impressive to an outsider. But to even have a ball of fire as big as globes or gumball machines is very impressive to me. He must've worked so hard for that.

"I just kept trying, I guess," he says, scratching under his goggles. "Sensei explained how to do Fire Release, though."

"Ah." It was the same explanation as in the books. Little surprise — Minato Namikaze did manage to learn _Flying Thunder God_ using records and documentation. "Hey, Big Brother, d'you know anything about chakra induction papers?" His bewildered look explains everything. "Father says all Jounin-sensei have them. It's so you can know what element you're good in: _fire_ , water, earth, lighting, wind."

Obito furrows his brows, doing his best to piece together the information. "You don't think you're good in fire? So you wanna try something else?"

"Yup! That's right! Is that okay?"

It is. In two days, Obito has a thin strip of paper in his hands for me.

I take it tentatively, hoping my chakra isn't detected so soon so I can get a feel for this. Its texture is very soft with bumps arranged in specific rows and columns. I can see "hair" on the paper, like hair on plant stems. This paper is made from trees that were cultivated in a chakra environment. I wonder if Ninshuu has effected that? So do even nonliving things have their own chakra? Or just spiritual and physical energies? I've never been the greatest chakra sensor...

(What if I was reincarnated as a _tree_ of all things? An animal? _Food_?)

Easily I transfer a small portion of my already tiny reserves and the paper reacts after a second's delay: it turns to deep gray ash starting from my thumb. The black crumbs fall to the ground at me feet, too heavy for the wind.

Obito still has a few more papers in his hands, but this test should never be inaccurate.

"So you _are_ good at fire! Then maybe you're just too young?" says he to break the silence. "I've never heard of anyone doing fireball before they were 11 anyways! Just wait a while!"

Itachi did it. Eight, wasn't it? I'm running low on time.

"Well." My voice is empty. I clear my throat and try again with more energy, "Well! Anything else you can teach me? What about throwing shuriken and kunai? Or to be super stealthy?"

Obito gleefully teaches me throwing techniques (giving sharp weapons to a toddler? this world is phenomenal...) and tricks he's learned after years of practice.

"And guess what? I made it to the second round of the Chuunin Exams!" He punches his fist into the air, bouncing. "That test was hella hard, but I did it — with Rin's help!"

Oh. Right. _They_ begin now.

I hadn't even helped out. What could I do?

"Don't be late, Big Brother! This is important to you _and_ Rin. If you let her down, she just may never love you."

Obito goes as pale as sheet. "No... I can't let that happen! I'll... camp out at the site!"

"Eh?"

But he's up and running with rice balls in his hands, leaving me here alone. I don't see him again until two weeks later, with one arm bandaged up, bandages wrapped around his head, and a grin that shows his two missing teeth.

"Big... Brother?" I don't remember him suffering this damage.

"I made it! To the last round! I'm so happy! Me and Rin — we're in the third round!"

 _What the_ —

Why? I didn't do anything... he's no stronger than what he was before. Obito fails his first exam and comes back next year — but that's not the case here.

"Congratulations," I say. "Um... you should be training."

"Oh, yeah, no doubt! Rin said she'll help me out! You got any more tips, Takenaka?"

"There are lots of resources in the Leaf for learning new techniques. Especially Fire Release. You should check the library, Academy teachers, and Sarutobi members," I offer, but Obito shouldn't pass the exam. That's not the way the canon went.

"Right! Thanks! See ya later, when I'm _Chuunin Obito Uchiha_!"

Like those two weeks ago, he dashes away from me, into the distance, laughing. I swallow hard.

The world is so much more quiet without him. It's back to Kanka and Itachi, and a glimpse of my parents.

Don't think about him. Don't. So I push my body through physical exercises and mediate at night for Ninshuu and occasionally try my hand at the fireball — my brother did it at _eight_. And weirdly, I can't sleep at night even I should, as I'm no longer sneaking out in the middle of the night.

The bags under my eyes look terrible, but my parents attribute that to war.

Two months later, they let me attend the final round of the Chuunin Exams.

 **.:**

 _july, year three_

 **.:**

We don't get an elaborate seat for being practically royalty in our family, but neither does Hiashi Hyuuga, a leader of a clan even more powerful and respected than the Uchiha. For a moment I confuse Hizashi and Hiashi, despite the former concealing a Caged Bird Seal on his forehead, because they are so much younger, so less bleak.

My family sits a few rows higher up than the Hyuuga, as if trying to send a message that the Hyuuga are beneath us. Most of the Uchiha are together, in contrast to the other clansmen scattered about. I guess this is how others rule all Uchiha as cold. But it's only due to paranoia. It's only due to the Second Hokage's distaste for us that infected the villagers.

"I remember my Exams," Mama says to Papa wistfully.

Papa grunts a sound that indicates he's listening but his arms are crossed over his chest and his eyes keep darting to the exit. He insisted he'll come to "see the prospect Uchiha in action" though he's become a workaholic now.

To think I'll have to go through these exams. _Oh Pain_ , I have to _beat_ Itachi's exam score. Even Minato's exam score. Itachi came in second _without even cheating_ , Minato being the first. They weren't _tied_ for first, so Itachi got something wrong. It's not impossible beating that. But really... really... _really_ hard.

I'm holding onto Itachi, bouncing my knee to keep him happy, and I say to take my mind off things, "Mama, who did you go up against in the Exams?"

Mama grins with closed eyes. "Oh, the only girl crazy enough to fight four teams solo in the second round and curbstomped a Nara — the Red Hot Habanero!"

No. Way. "Who?"

"Kushina Uzumaki. Look — there she is." Mama waves to a woman with blood red hair who waves enthusiastically back and shouts " _hi_ " from across the stadium. "She looks like she's doing fine."

I wave and look to her left to see a blonde individual smirking at his most likely girlfriend.

Further left is a boy slumped in his chair, eager to leave this place, silver hair messy as ever.

I'm sharing the _same breathing space of important people_. I choke and Mama's patting my back.

 _Oh Pain. Oh Pain Oh Pain Oh Pain_. So many wants are flowing through me. I want to tell them to _be careful of Obito, please don't go, please be safe_. But we're strangers. They don't know me at all. My warnings will only make them suspicious and they're likely to not even listen.

"Takenaka, look. There's your cousin Inaho down there! He's grown up to be a remarkable boy. What do you think, Fugaku?"

"His stance isn't balanced. What's that style? Cat style?"

Their voices blend into the thousands of other shinobi and prospect shinobi in the stadium. Civilians are far too afraid to come outside their homes let alone spend thousands of ryo (a price almost any shinobi can pay) to come to a stadium to watch kids best each other in death or near death matches. Not that surprisingly, there are children who take this violence in stride. Heck, here I am, on the bleachers, aware that younger past-me _liked_ the tournament arc.

I remember making it to football playoffs in high school. When I wasn't focused on plays and the adrenaline high, the band played on, the cheerleaders performed, my parents wore my jersey number. Now I'm just a fan in the crowd. Humbling.

Inaho defeats the Yamanaka. I blanked out completely. I'm here, not practicing, not being tutored, so I should relax and enjoy it while I still can. The match outline has about 60 contenders and is thankfully not in tournament style. Winning one battle promotes the ninja to Chuunin automatically.

I can see Obito's name. I see Rin's name. She's seven battles away whereas Obito is 13. We're on battle three.

Welp. If I'm stuck watching this, I better make the most of it. Likening it to the tournament arc in Naruto, I use this opportunity to analyze everyone's combat strategies. Even if there's no concern for super powerful Tailed Beasts and wayward Sages, many of the competitors employ one of the things that brought me into the series: outsmarting their opponents, sometimes using what little they had.

" _To be a good ninja, you must be versatile_." If I only focused on techniques stronger than the ones Itachi used in canon, am I really a great ninja? _No_. I wouldn't know the first thing when faced by someone other than Itachi. Or main characters. Or shinobi that didn't make the limelight.

The next battle is between two civilian boys. One of them is skilled in sword techniques and the other is a jack of all trades. The boy, who so obviously dedicated his life to the sword, is terrifying to the other. His blade dances across the sky, barely visible from his quickness, aiming for vital points Average barely blocks in time. But Average is agile, always able to twist out the way at the last second, sweat dripping down the sides of his face.

Sword takes a breather and charges back in. He goes all out with cutting — thrust, thrust, left, overhead — and as Average blocks the cuts with a kunai, knuckles white around the handle, Sword's free hand drifts down to his ninja pouch hidden behind him.

Average takes three shuriken to the body due to Sword's speed and the latter finishes it with a deadly diagonal cut. Red ejects from Average's chest as he falls back, flips into a crouch, and bounces back to gain distance. He's hurt. Panting. He's less livelier than before. They stare each other down as the red stain grows bigger on Average's clothes.

Without a word spoken, they charge once again.

Sword uses his range effectively, taking the first swing and renders Average's short range style useless. At the same time, Average slides under the blade in chakra-assisted movement. It's like the concept tree walking twisted so that it's tree _skating_.

Sword's got a two handed grip. So he looks down in sheer surprise as both his hands are too far away to do anything. Seems as though he can't use any hand seals for escape.

Average pokes the tip of his kunai in Sword's chest. He's smirking. Sword drops his sword and reluctantly grins. Classmates?

The test proctor (who looks suspiciously like a Sarutobi) calls the match a win for Average, or Kubi, due to Sword's, Tega's, inability to continue the match.

The crowd is a mixed bag of boos and cheers. Beneath me, Itachi squirms as soon as the loud noises begin.

Mama says "Is Itachi behaving for you?" but it doesn't make it to my consciousness. I don't respond and her words are forgotten.

"Chakra skating... chakra skating... chakra skating," I chant so I don't forget. That seems to be an invaluable technique. Instead wasting stamina for running or being naturally slow, I could merely use chakra. That would mean I should have a strong taijutsu ability when my reserves are too low. A neat little one-up.

Ah, but easier thought than done. Sticking to trees and water is difficult enough to where it's not a discipline taught in Academy. It took an advanced Uchiha 12-year-old a week to master it with long hours of practice until exhaustion (and with the help of Kakashi Hatake and Sakura's superior chakra control).

How does the civilian Kubi _know_ to chakra in the correct amount to conquer friction and propel his mass forward?

The rest of the fights until Rin are equally engaging. They're short and not entertaining for the audience, but it's an intellectual's paradise. I'm confident in this year's future Chuunin. And I hope the Third War doesn't see many of these brilliant children go.

Without even looking at the board, I know Rin is up next thanks to a hyper-enthusiastic " _Riiiiin_!" from a certain woman. Many of my Uchiha clansmen begin chatting loudly or leave for the concession stands and bathrooms.

Rin's cheeks are pink as she demurely enters the ring, waving a little at her teammates (and probably Kakashi in particular). Her opponent is Uka Akimichi, a plump, freckled-face girl with spunk in her step.

And the battle begins.

Rin keeps to long range combat, as expected of a medic-nin in training. Her shuriken and kunai throws are incredibly accurate, maybe even assisted with chakra or with wire — I can't see from up here. She immediately tries to gain ground while the projectiles are airborne. Uka flies through hand seals at incredible speeds and expands like a balloon as twice as tall as Rin. Uka drops the technique as the projectiles bounce off her torso harmlessly, giving away she's wearing armor underneath.

"Don't give away such an important secret as _that_ ," I hiss under my breath, to commit it to memory better.

Rin stops throwing. She should know better to aim for her exposed face and arms. There's no surplus of fatal wounds in the arms but they're still not protected. Rin will need Tenten levels of accuracy.

Rin is smart. Whether its solely academic or encompasses combat strategy, I'll see today.

Uka's fist enlarges and her arm stretches like rubber trying to land a hit on the dodging kunoichi. She's more of a hazard to the environment.

"Aim for her arm — it's wide open," I urge, knowing she can't hear me at all.

Rin throws a kunai next to her enlarged elbow slumped on the ground. I see a slight trace of flame. Uka jumps out the way and, between them, a black cloud of smoke smelling of ink. Itachi twitches at the sound. I feel my fingers comb through his downy, black locks.

Even with visibility compromised, Rin throws more kunai into the smoke.

"What are you doing? She could have moved since you last saw her."

I see the weapons bounce uselessly on the ground, a meter away from Uka. The girl expands once more, leaping into the hair like a green superhero and hurls herself right at Rin.

Rin stares at her for a few moments, mildly surprised, and flies through hand seals. Her delicate voice isn't meant for shouting: "Water Release: Big Splash!" She gulps and spits a huge rush of water that knocks the Akimichi back.

"Her first ninjutsu. But you lost sight of her again. The Akimichi could replace..."

Through the splash of water caused on impact, I can see white smoke on the edges. The water drops harmlessly on the ground and Rin can't see the girl suddenly appearing behind her like I can.

An enlarged foot crashes into Rin and sends her flying away. Rin rolls and slides across the ground to slow her momentum but while she's busy with that, Uka closes in, ready to use taijutsu.

Rin stands up as the first blow is launched: a fist with three shuriken in the gap of Uka's four fingers. It cuts Rin's face and turns her painted cheeks from purple to red.

She's no choice but to dodge. She's agile but so is Uka. Heels inches from the stadium wall, Rin jumps backwards on it, _sticks briefly? propels?_ leaps off the wall, aiming a kick — is she good in taijutsu?

I inhale. "She's faking it."

Uka throws her arms up to block. Rin lands her foot perfectly in the center of the X and front flips into the air once more, kunai at her fingers which she throws, midair, upside down, backwards.

Uka struggles to turn in time. A kunai cuts a diagonal on her face. And Rin, before landing, finishes her hand seals and a flame launches her away from Uka as well as burning the girl.

Rin lands gracefully, panting. Behind her, a girl struggles to put out the fire on her clothes and hair.

"Match over! Winner, Rin Nohara!" the proctor announces quickly, probably not wanting to see a girl burn to death.

Rin laughs and I see the tears bursting forth in her eyes while Uka is quickly taken to the medical area. The crowd is mostly cross a civilian beat a clan child — a noble clan at that.

 _Rin Nohara is a Chuunin_. Doesn't she fail her first time, too? Unless... this _is_ their second try. Which means I could've _helped_ Obito more.

But regardless of what's to come, by fate, he should still pass, right?

The first 10 of 30 battles finish, prompting a brief intermission. At first I don't know what to do. I was expecting a continuous event but, yeah, I guess my legs are feeling numb for sitting so long. All around me, my family are complaining and stretching.

"I _lost_! The odds of her winning was oh-ninety-three, though! Of course I'm going to bet on the Akimichi with a two-point-three!"

A girl holding a parasol next to him laughs at his misery. "See? This is why I bet for the underdog. Now I'm cashing in my ticket while you go into debt!"

"I got six out of 10 pluses so _wrong_."

"Eight of 10, haha."

Mama is nudging my shoulder. "Want to come walking with me for a moment?"

I look down at my brother. "Itachan?"

"Your Papa will gladly watch over him for us," she smiles as Papa blinks wildly.

Being in such a huge stadium really highlights just how young and small I am. There's so many people, so many teens and adults, I really do feel I could get lost in a sea of strangers. Despite being mostly an adult, I still feel terrified of not having my mother at my side. This world is dangerous for a less than ninja, three-year-old boy.

"Would you like something to eat, Takenaka?" Mama says and I start smiling again, glad my poise is muscle memory now.

The food smells wonderful. Ever since the war began, the Leaf hasn't kept any specialties in stock from outside the village. I heard from Papa that farmers are requesting B-Rank missions to transport food within the Land of Fire to the Hidden Leaf. No more of the Hidden Mist's giant king crab delicacies. For _now_.

"Yes, please. Something simple."

Mama buys me fried doughnut-balls with chestnut sauce on a stick. It's rare I get to enjoy something as sweet as this — most candy I eat is barely sweetened compared to the sugar-loaded treats of my old world. The doughnut-ball is nothing more than fried, slightly sugared bread. The chestnut sauce is earthy more than anything. I enjoy it nonetheless.

Mama eats plain rice from a bowl she sprinkled pepper on. We sit in one of the provided tables and enjoy our meal. Above us, the intercom statically blares: "Five minutes left until the second round!"

I'm in the middle of my second stick when Mama sets her bowl down silently and I know she's ready to chat. "You know... I was talking to your father earlier. You seemed really immersed in the fights. I've never seen that level of intensity from you."

Her voice is bright but her words feel wrong. Though can I really expect absolute sincerity from a ninja?

I take my time swallowing my food to think. "I've never seen an actual fight before. It was really enchanting... seeing so many kids fight so brilliantly. I think the Leaf will win this war with few casualties at this rate."

"Ah, children don't fight in the frontline," Mama says.

"But their teachers do. And if their Jounin-sensei could create such brilliant Genin, I have hope." I resume eating.

A pause goes by.

"...as the future leader of the Uchiha Clan, you understand you have to become a ninja, right?"

 _Have to_. No choice for me here. I nod and meet her gaze.

Her face is unreadable. My back shivers. Mamas should _never_ look like that...

"Are you okay with this path? Do you think you can become a ninja?" I open my mouth — "Nobody is pressuring you to follow in your father's steps. We want you to carve your own legacy."

...I can't believe we're having "the talk" in a place like this.

"I will be a ninja," I tell her. "I will honor the Uchiha name. After all... the crest is on my back. I wear it proudly."

Mama beams.

 **.:**

 _july, year three_

 **.:**

Obito's battle is the 16th. It was fun analyzing the rest of the battles, but I take a quick break. I'm not expecting much from the fight at all.

Obito before Kannabi was a joke. Is a joke. Now I know he's brilliant when he's alone, but when he has to fulfill expectations? He's late. A crush distracts him. A unnecessary rival distracts him. He's too cocky with none of the charm Naruto had.

His opponent is Ebisu. Ebisu wasn't known for much else than being a perverted special Jounin and Konohamaru's teacher. He managed to survive being on a team with Might Guy, so he may be a challenge for Obito's level. He's a cakewalk for Kakashi. He and Rin may be on the same level.

My unease grows as Ebisu lands in the stadium looking focused whereas Obito is waving up to Rin with a dumb, goofy grin on his face. He barely catches the procter declare the start of the match.

And so as Ebisu moves, a blur, Obito bends back to avoid a sweeping roundhouse kick. The Uchiha cartwheels awkwardly away while Ebisu recoils the kick and ponders briefly on his next move.

"I'm gonna be Hokage, you hear me?" Obito cries, shaking a fist. "Lay off, _wouldja_?"

I hear snickers and groans loudest from my family. Mama herself seems a bit deflated and no longer actively cheering. Papa grits his teeth quietly while Itachi stares at his chubby baby hands, flexing them.

Ebisu launches a pure taijutsu assault. They're classmates, so he must realize that's Obito's weakness — one of many, really.

Though Obito is able to dodge the punches, kicks, and elbow/knee strikes clumsily. I don't think his month-break training is helping him.

Obito has something going for him: his sincerity. In that his battle strategy is never _outsmart the other person using tricks and brains_. He fights so honestly. If he harmed somebody (other than Kakashi), it'd only be with techniques that are okay and obvious.

Punch him and he'd punch right back. Not think of a way to redirect the punch and counterattack. Not pretend to take it, replace, and strike from behind. Obito will just try to punch harder than you.

It makes him too predictable. It makes him a dead last.

This kid has talent.

The world can't see it.

(Should I tell that to someone? To him? And if he's my enemy one day, murdering my loved ones, is he going to mock me for letting him know that?)

"Fire Release: Fireball Technique!" I can see he wavers with the technique and I know instantly the fire is only made to force Ebisu to stay away. Ebisu is already too far for the technique to be effective before Obito blows flames.

"The little brat knows that? Humph," gruffs some man in my family.

"Don't be so surprised. He's on team with Hatake's son and the Namikaze," a female says, loud enough for many others to hear. "My son learned the technique at 11 and he's a stationary medic-nin."

So her son is stuck working in the hospital. Her comment serves to quench any sort of acknowledgement of Obito's abilities.

Ebisu quickly conquers his caution as Obito's flames die out and dashes to the boy. Obito grits his teeth in fear and prepares a punch.

The sunglasses reflect in the sun, concealing anything of Ebisu's expression underneath as he grabs Obito's punch and flips the boy to the ground. Hard. A cloud of dust floats around Obito.

Ebisu sits on Obito's stomach, pins his fists under the hard material of shinobi shoes, and the former's mouth moves, conversation too quiet to be heard by the speakers.

Obito struggles.

"C'mon _, Obito!_ We _worked ya_ for a _month!_ " a bubbly voice cries.

"Go, Obito! Keep trying!" a softer voice adds.

It's not good enough at all. As long as Ebisu is messing around and doesn't point a kunai at a vital point, thereby ending the match due to the unwillingness of the administrators to let the audience witness death (though little can be done if a ninja dies from an attack faster than the procter can react), Obito is going to be pinned forever, making one of the shortest fights in Chuunin Exam final round history.

"Idiot," I hiss. Predicting what Obito can do next is pointless. He's not clever enough to think of it. Too impulsive to be riled up and tricked. As of now, Obito is a _lost cause_.

I _hate_ that this _villain_ was once a _pathetic moron_.

I'm embarrassed that I'm so angry about this — no, why shouldn't I be? He's the future murderer of my clan! A stupid, no-good ninja that should have never graduated the Ninja Academy in the first place. And now he's losing before my eyes.

I stand up. No, I already did, but now I feel myself standing and cupping my hands around my mouth.

" _Didn't you tell me you were going to become the Hokage_?"

Peripherally, black and brown eyes decorating pale faces look in my direction. My body shivers.

" _And now you're going to lose, Big Brother? How am I supposed to look up to you now? Aren't you carrying the honor of the Uchiha Clan on your back? Fight. You do not back down. You are the wind that feeds fire and makes it burn stronger, so_ _ **fight**_ _._ "

Itachi babbles cutely and that breaks my anger. I look over, fully intending on tickling Itachi to make my brother laugh and I see Mama and Papa staring at me. For ninja, trained in masking their emotions, for them to be children who grew up to see two wars in their lives, their genuinely baffled expressions seem fake. They can't be _that_ alarmed. I would never picture such a face on my parents.

I hear a distant cry and my family and I look back. Ebisu looks away from Obito. The Uchiha breathes in shakily and, well, _fire_ bursts from his nose. Ebisu dodges the flames and crouches a ways away as Obito flips to his feet and holds onto his forehead protector.

"I am _O-bi-to_ Uchiha! O stands for ' _Oh_ -mazing'! Bi stands for ' _Be_ ready to get your butt kicked'! To stands for ' _To_ -ry this on for size!'" Obito flies through hand seals. "Fire Release: Great Hellfire Technique!"

 _Oh my Pain._ It's horrible. It's too cheesy without the charm.

It's Might Guy and Lee levels of ham.

Ebisu sees this and recoils in _horror_ from his words and not the great flame wall heading towards him, so hot it warps the surrounding air violently, so vivid reddish-orange that my eyes begin to burn watching it.

Luckily he's wearing sunglasses —

Ebisu is fried in the fire that diminishes after burning through him until it's a black cloud of smoke drifting away with wind. Obito is panting, all alone in the arena.

The ground splits open.

Ebisu emerges, coughing, having inhaled smoke and probably burned the inside of his throat from the technique's heat. His clothes are covered in dirt and ash. He's paler than before.

I sit down. "...that was unexpected." I cough too. My throat's sore.

"Takenaka," is Papa's glacial voice. I've screwed up. "How do you know that boy? I specifically kept him _away_ from you. You were supposed to be at home at all times. Did he, perhaps, find you?"

My body defaults to my graceful sitting posture despite my nerves chewing my insides. Some part of me wants to surprise Papa with being exceptionally far ahead when it comes to ninja arts. That part has me lie lamely, "I was lonely and... Big Brother was there..."

I can't focus on the battle. Not with cold intensity at the back of my head from Papa's gaze. And Mama's gone silent, not even trying to rescue me.

"We'll speak of this later," he clips. Because nothing's resolved, a tension emerges between all three of us that makes me wish the exam was just _over_ already.

Itachi tilts his head, sensing something's off. I don't dare grab him out Papa's lap.

The rest of the battles feel so slow. I'm uncomfortable. My eyes are unnaturally hot (and I don't think I've miraculously awakened the Sharingan) and my clansmen look at me ever so often before whispering.

When it's finally over and the winners grab their Chuunin vests and certificates, the Third Hokage does a closing speech, and we take a moment of silence to acknowledge the war going on outside the stadium, Papa vanishes into the chaotic mess of leaving people. Mama urges me to follow her, Itachi in her arms. She walks purposely and cuts through the crowd with ease.

I try my best to keep a smile on my face despite my contradictory feelings.

"Papa is very mad at me," I mumble when we're outside and not trapped between flesh and I can breathe. "I deserve it."

"He's not angry," Mama says, in that way mothers do, like _it's not your fault_. "There is a lot on his mind."

"Please don't lie," I beg without a trace of tact. "I want your honesty. He's mad. Disappointed. Upset. At me."

"Papa _honestly_ is not mad," she snaps. The setting sun, the dark sky, the enlarged and Nara-black shadows. She's _terrifying_.

I shut up.

"He is contemplative," Mama begins in a milder tone. "You've given him a lot to think about. _Me_ a lot to think about." We meet eyes. She smiles knowingly. "Takenaka, you don't understand. We don't see much of you. We see the you we _want_ you to be: a well-mannered, strong, and capable son that can lead the Uchiha Clan. But you are so much more diverse than that. You're a clever boy. A clever, mature boy. And you are prone to loneliness too — des-despite Itachi — "

I'm caught up in Mama's words as a wild-haired woman spins me around to face her.

I'm dimly aware I'm still politely smiling. A figurine.

Deep violet eyes reflect my perfect appearance.

" _Waaaah_! You're Mikoto's _Takenaka_!" I wince as she shouts _Takenaka-chaaan_ for the world to hear. "You look so much like her! Oh my!" Her surprisingly calloused hands, despite the beauty of her pale and flawless skin, grip my cheeks. "Pitch black hair? Check! Black eyes? Double check! You even look girly too!"

I automatically say, "Hello, miss." While my mind is rebooting.

"Ah... we were in the middle of something," Mama interjects. "At least you two finally meet..."

"He's so cuuute!" She goes from puckering her lips in glee to looking up in thought. "Oh! I wanted to tell you thank you, Takenaka."

So sincere. Solemn. "Hm?"

"Thank you for supporting Obito," she clarifies and grins harder. "Simply put, he doesn't get a lot of feedback from his family." Her gaze shifts up, locked on Mama.

"Please," Mama says, strained. "I know how much you favorite him, but Obito and the Clan is a problem way beyond Fugaku and my power. Pretty words won't do anyone good."

The frenzied woman quickly changes topics. "Obito's told us — I mean, me! — all about ya! He came skipping up one day to our picnic singsonging, 'The Boss's son actually _likes_ me!'. It really warmed my heart, y'know. Thank you!"

"Ah, you're welcome," I hear my voice utter.

Her smile shrinks. "Hey... 'cause this war's goin' on, I don't really think you two will see each other as often as you did. And that's okay. Obito still cares about you. He's not abandoning you."

I find myself only able to make laconic responses, all because her glittering eyes refuse to look away. "I understand."

"Right," she sighs. "I should head back. People get antsy around me. It's only 'cause they're 'fraid of the Red Hot — " She looks at Mama expectantly.

I see her cheeks pink. "...habanero?" Mama offers quietly.

"Habanero!" And with that cry, she turns and heads back.

"People get antsy around me."

The Nine Tails. The Uchiha's Sharingan. _Naruto's birth._ _Her death._ She's ten steps away, twelve, sixteen, and I'm letting her go to her death.

"Itachi, please don't cry. Did she really startle you that much? Her enthusiasm is a bit excessive for a quiet boy like you..."

I'm letting her go.

I look over at the soft hand touching my shoulder. "Takenaka, let's continue. Do you want to finish the conversation, or...?"

"No. Let's leave, Mama."

But it's like Obito all over. _What_ can words do besides make me look strange? I'm already way too articulate for a three-year-old, mind you, and could pass for a middle schooler if I just dropped my baby accent.

There's no techniques I can use to make Kushina Uzumaki believe me.

The only, _only_ way I can save her, Obito, Minato, Rin... is through action. To somehow become so intertwined in their fates and to save them from their doom.

After walking for a while, I look back and find Kushina Uzumaki gone.

The Uchiha Compound is lively for once. Clansmen roam around, raving or ranting about the Exams. Though as Mama and I walk by on the path leading to our home, they quiet and stare.

I'm grateful to be inside, in my semi-cool home rather than the exhausting July heat from the Exams. Then my stomach twists as I take off my shoes and remember Papa.

Mama immediately takes Itachi to his room for his bedtime. I want to slip out the house for my training room, but I hear, "Takenaka. My study. Now."

Gulping, I slid on slippers and drag my feet to Papa's study.

It's connected to the further room away from the heart of the home. It's dark, cold, and foreboding. His study is decorated with bookshelves plus the scent of ink and papers is heavy. Papa sits behind his desk, glasses balancing on his nose.

He notices me nonchalantly. Motions to the seat across from him. I really feel like a child sitting in this chair I'd seen so many formidable shinobi men in.

"Takenaka." Papa is looking right at me. Solemn.

"Yes, Father," I monotone, swapping _Papa_ for _Otou-san_.

His eyebrow twitches, though he continues just as deeply, "You initiated a friendship between Obito Uchiha despite my orders. You are a very bright boy — you understand of his status, correct?"

"Yes, Father."

" _Inaho_ would make a better friend than that boy." He shakes his head. "Regardless, you said you were lonely."

 _Where are you going with this?_ I wait.

"From this henceforth," he prefaces ambiguously, "you will be allowed to attend certain Uchiha Clan Meetings as my special guest. You will have rules to abide by — such as behaving as a wife: seen but not heard. Information discussed in those meetings are to never leave your lips unless you speak privately with me."

 _Woah_. This responsibility? I'm — I'm a child and this is stuff that should be expected years into the future...

No, Papa isn't saying I participate. I'm just supposed to go to meetings and not embarrass him. Why?

"...you think I'm lonely, Father," I say, "so you want me to be more involved in the clan."

His dark eyes glitter in the candlelight. "Correct."

I don't have much of a choice to change the clan as of now. But I have an opportunity to become informed of every Uchiha in the Leaf. I could be informed of information I can only dream of as a Genin. So long as I play my cards right... I'll lose practice time but will gain power of a different sort.

I duck my head in a bow. "Thank you, Father. If you agree, I'll happily attend."

 **.:**

 _july, year three_

 **.:**

Early Sunday morning, only Papa and me are awake in the house. Papa is wearing his flak jacket with long sleeves, the Uchiha emblem on both sides. I wear my fanciest, high-collared shirt and slacks. In silence, we walk the pathways of the Uchiha Compound to one of the many places I have yet to see.

The Justice Hall. It's in the basement of the Leaf Military Police Force Headquarters (more like a giant building housing paperwork and files than criminals). I immediately understand what he means by "certain Uchiha Clan meetings".

There is the weekly to monthly General Meetings that shinobi Genin and up attend, and is one of the reasons Papa vanishes from home so frequently. It's through these meetings that Papa gets an idea of how the clan feels and how the clan's future is coming. Those meetings take place in a special location beyond the Compound that even I have yet to find. Half-Uchiha, quarter-Uchiha, or less could also attend these meetings. Uchiha who didn't like being in the Compound and lived kilometers away can still join. It's through these meetings that the Uchiha coup was born.

Then there's the more secretive, inclusive meetings — the Keep the Peace Meetings. These had begun much in the same way that historic leaders who wanted a far more democratic government still understood _some decisions_ just couldn't be made by the public. At some point in time, the United States Congress was only for the wealthy, scholarly elite. But that's all Papa told me last night: a meeting for the most elite.

Realizing this, I relax. I wouldn't have to meet my entire clan and can get to the heart of the issues plaguing the Uchiha.

Papa opens the front door by slapping his palm on a seal with the Kanji for _lock_ and pushes chakra through it. The door opens automatically and we continue.

Headquarters is dead silent. I question Papa. Whenever a meeting's planned, this place — normally running 24/7 — is deserted with only a special few people in the upper floors still on call for emergencies.

Papa leads me downstairs and to another chakra-unlockable door. The double doors expand to a room mainly brown and black with Uchiha Clan, Uzumaki Clan, and the Leaf's flags providing a little color.

In the back, sitting behind a thick, gold-embroidered desk, are the five Uchiha Elders' chairs — their owners not being important enough for this meeting. The Elders were around since Madara's time, give or take a few years. Elders usually have no real power whenever Papa is on call. They're ceremonial heads more than anything.

Making an annulus before the Elders' domain, the most influential men and one woman stand around a desk to deal with the lives of 200 plus people, my father having the final say and most power.

They stare at us now, vaguely challenging as I meet their gaze and struggle to keep my calm facade.

"Gentlemen, ladies," Papa announces in a voice that cuts through the air, "this is my special guest, Takenaka Uchiha. He will be accompanying our meetings from this moment on."

Silence. Tension. I'm not required to bow. Technically, these people are below me. And by doing so, I'll create a face that's far too submissive.

"It is the polite thing to do, to bow before elders. But as a leader, you must prioritize the social meaning rather than respect. What if our Hokage-sama bowed to the White Fang? He _is_ a hero but he does _not_ resonate with the people like Hokage-sama."

I take Karada's words to heart and do not bow.

"Fugaku-sama," breathes a man with graying hair, one of the elite influential Uchiha, "I don't think I understand this motive. Why is a toddler in our presence? You cannot have complete faith in the toddler's ability to keep secrets."

I can sense the minute contracting of his muscles being so close to Papa. "Takenaka will become the leader one day, so it is beneficial we start his training as soon as possible. Besides, I know he is brilliant enough to not to spill our secrets. If he can read books written by Yuuhi, Shimura, and Douma authors, he can understand to keep his mouth silenced."

I feel the heat and feeling leave my face.

Since when did Papa read the mail? It's always been Mama's job to sort the mail. Unless... she told him? I figured she would keep it secret. She's never asked me why I checked out those books.

But, really, the best part is that my father _complimented_ me.

Another member steps out the circle and crosses two fists at his wrists before extending it parallel to his heart. "All rise for the saying of the oath to begin this meeting: 23rd of July, 05:32 in the morning."

We all mirror him and face the three flags. I feel really important doing something as simple as this in sync with so many adults. A beat goes by before all adults speak in unison. I remain a few words behind as Papa never taught me the words, probably because these words may never be spoken outside this room.

 _We are the swift gale that ignites the fire._

 _We red eyed ones hold within us the night._

 _We are the ones who love and desire._

 _We are the black sun's second light._

Everyone drops their arms a beat later and turns to the center. The man who initiated the oath nods once to the others. "Meeting is open. Topical issue of the day: Uchiha war effort. Begin the voice whenever ready."

The meeting lasts four hours, most of which was debating among the elites ending in stalemates. But somehow Papa had formed a compromise and next meeting's discussion will be all about the steps to implement these ideals.

I walk the Compound aimlessly, for once tired of talking. Before me is the ever cool river the runs through our Compound much like the Naka river did in the alternative compound, thanks to the Nine Tails.

I forgot. I hate hearing nothing. My ears are buzzing from the lack of auditory feedback.

What's next, Takenaka? You're on the verge of being four. You can't really associate with Obito. You're allowed to participate in clan meetings. You have yet to master any ninjutsu. You're supposed to be _advanced_.

Having these extra memories really does nothing for me, huh.

"Yo! Takenaka!"

I swivel way too quickly. My heart thuds seeing the green contrast (horribly) among blue and orange.

"I _did_ it!" Obito shouts. "I'm a Chuunin! We all are!"

I find myself smiling without meaning to. "I knew you could do it, Big Brother."

My last conversation with him is his excited retelling of the exams.

 **.:**

 _august, year three_

 **.:**

I'm drowning in work from Marui. The year two Core Curriculum is easy regarding the Kanji, literature, history, survival skills, and medical evaluations. But it's the math and the Year Two Physical Evaluation that stumps me.

Marui taught me in six months. The only things I mastered were everything except for math and the evaluation.

"You only need to score in the 75th percentile," she always says. "Y-You aren't really graded — "

I need a perfect score to beat my brother and Minato. I _won't_ settle for average.

But darn advanced math, with its endless rules and how I can make no mistake else the entire problem is wrong and I just wasted my life. Six months since November of last year ended in May and now it's the beginning of August. I'm still struggling.

But Marui keeps telling me, "You're doing excellent! Simply the brightest toddler I've had the pl-pleasure of teaching!"

The Physical Evaluation requires a 50 meter run, a minimum of 10 crunches, a min of 15 push ups, a complete or near-complete sit and reach for flexibility, a minimum of 5 pull ups, a 5 second plank, and a vertical jump of 50cm or more.

Passing the minimum requirements automatically puts the ninja in the "average" category as the evaluation is pretty simple after 20 months of school. But there's a hidden score; the ninja who does the absolute best gets a special mark next to their name and then adults start to look at the child as a prodigy.

The physical exam is made with seven-year-olds in mind, but I'm four years _too_ young and my body can't do this all in one go. With breaks and water, I can do all this. Though the evaluation is made to be all in one shot.

It burns. I hate sleeping at night because I _know_ the soreness hurts the worst waking up in the morning.

I don't give up. I think a part of me is insane.

So when I finish the course with only three two-minute breaks, record my total time, I go back and revise, making sure I can do everything _faster smarter better_ than the majority population.

Then, only then, once I feel no child can beat me, I work to beat myself over and over again.

The lessons with Marui are me trying to understand the concept of advanced math. She gives me plenty of study material to work on at home. Unsurprisingly, nothing clicks for long.

I was so distracted by math that I let Karada into my study room with my nose buried in a textbook. Small wonder he hit me.

"Good morning, Sensei," I wince, reeling from his vicious fan.

"You're not aware of your surroundings at all, little one. Why are you so wound up?"

I bookmark my page and go make tea. "Let's not worry about that, Sensei! I want to devote all my time to your lesson!" Which is my tactful way of avoiding his question.

Karada doesn't press me. He relaxes on the couch, fans himself. "Is that so? Regardless, it won't do to have you tensed. You need to develop a mindless freetime, something you can relax doing. Ah, this may come as a fright to you, but this hobby can have no relation to academics and ninja arts."

There goes my idea of meditation.

"You can pursue calligraphy, crochet, a sport, drawing, painting, gardening, anything to help you focus."

 _None_ of it sounds real interesting. Nozonda, my teacher that teaches me trivial things that would be useless to hire different teachers for, taught me some calligraphy and I like how almost mindless it is. But it's really like band — it's easy when I remembered all the notes and their rhythms, but I still had to focus on dynamics and the sound my brass section made as a whole, and it was never a consistent sound, too.

So I found myself drawing instead of practicing my name in calligraphy. When the stench of ink and scroll paper made my nose hurt, I switched to pencil and eraser and drew away all my frustrations.

Then I realized I can't draw. I haven't practiced in _ages_.

Another thing I have to relearn, though at least I can go my own pace. I have to admit, even though I'm surrounded by drawing books and guides, I don't feel any of the stress I'm used to.

 **.:**

 _december, year three_

 **.:**

Then one foggy Christmas Eve, Hakushi bursts through my window in the middle of the night, and the frosty air has me shivering in bed.

I curl up under my covers as dignified as a scared-to-death toddler can do. "Mr. Hakushi? What are — are you doing here?"

The wine's smell is noxious. He staggers forward with a smile visible underneath his _sandogasa_. "I'm _bored_. Fugaku's too busy to entertain me, so I guess I'll just go after the mini Fugaku, right?"

I lean away. "Entertain you...?"

Hakushi immediately quenches the scary line of thought I was going down by summoning his spear. "Let's fish."

I weigh my options.

It'll take me a while to get back to sleep. And I'll be bored, possibly haunted by the thought of a wild Hakushi messing with Papa.

"Let me get dressed and we'll go."

As soon as I have my trenchcoat buttoned, Hakushi seizes me around the waist and jumps out the window.

" _Wait_ , my shoes!"

— I hear a voice say, high-pitched, paranoid, and girly.

"Forget 'em! This won't take long!"

I shiver from the cold air all around us, only amplified by Hakushi jumping speeding the wind. He hops roof to roof, only occasionally losing his footing somewhat.

We're so high up, way above the sleeping Leaf Village. It's _cool_ — in both meanings of the word.

"How are you jumping like this?" I shout next to his ear in midair.

"'S easy, mini Fugaku. Just push chakra out your feet and _fly_. Oh, be careful not to explode your feet."

I freeze.

Hakushi... doesn't know that from experience, does he?

Hakushi takes the biggest jump all night and we fall for a good while, landing in a small clearing next to a lake. It's too dark to tell where we are, but I can see the giant _FISHING IS PROHIBITED_ sign.

Hakushi drops me on the ground where I lotus pose to escape the cold earth. He then walks onto the surface of the water.

"Mr. Hakushi..." I shake my head. He's drunk. He probably doesn't really care. But he looks at me expectantly, so I make something up. "Can you tell how you and Papa met?"

"Yeah, sure. That old fuddy duddy never got 'round telling you that, huh?"

Rather than fishing (or, I guess, spearing), Hakushi starts to attack the air with his spear. He's so focused, though. I doubt he's hallucinating. He chats all while his attacks grow more and more complicated.

"All great friendships usually start as rivalries. Ours began in Academy, when I was the only kid who could hit a bullseye with Shuriken Techniques. The second best was your ma, Mikoto. Mi and I hung out a lot after school to practice and to compete against each other. Fugaku didn't like that at all. He had a massive crush on Mi and wanted to crush me."

Hakushi throws away his kimono top where it falls into the frigid waters. His spear is nearly invisible in the moonlight. His muscled body, bright red, is sweating badly, dripping off him with a sparkle. His reds and whites look surreal under the blues of the sky.

"Fugaku did everything possible to best me. He had way more formal experience and fans than I did. I had my own charms, though. Mi always cheered for me and Fugaku hated that. And I learned to fight on the streets. So, sometimes, I could break his perfect stance with a dirty trick of my own.

"Then Mi confessed to me after graduation. I coulda been a real ass and said sure, but I told her I wasn't the one. I didn't like her at all. Of course she cried and Fugaku kicked my ass for _that_ , but he walked me to the hospital and paid for me. That was the start of something beautiful."

Missing a lot of details, but I find the story nice. I clap before shoving my cold hands in my pockets. "Do you like Mama?"

"...hm. I've never liked anyone." His spear hovers in the air, still as ice. "I mean to say, I've never wanted anyone in bed."

"Oh... you've never found the right gal or guy?" I offer, unsure of the proper way to handle this topic.

"Dunno. I've taken many to bed and never liked _that_ ," and Hakushi resumes striking nothing. "I'll die old and alone."

"Is that why you drink?"

For a moment, nobody moves.

That was my voice wasn't it? I slap both hands over my mouth, but the damage is done.

 _I just_ have _to know the meaning of everything, don't I?_

Hakushi looks at me with an eyebrow raised in question. His face is blank, not as blank as Papa's face sometimes, but enough to have me envisioning my second funeral.

"I drink," the man states plainly, "because it's fun."

Slowly, I lower my hands. Okay. He's not the most coherent person right now. Maybe he'll just forget this ever happened and not passive-aggressively hate me forever.

"I'm sorry. That was very insensitive of me." I bow, though, to relieve some guilt.

When he shifts to rest his weapon on his shoulder, I'm grateful for the heavy stillness in the air is broken. Then he inhales before speaking —

"You're _too_ much like your mother! Fugaku wouldn't've cared about my feelings!"

And like that, a smile comes to my lips. "Ah, sorry about that..."

"Well, I'm bored," Hakushi says, mercuial, like a little child. "You're a kid, so you know any fun games in that brain of yours?"

"Games...?"

All that comes to mind are the games of my first life's childhood. Hopscotch, kick the can, basketball... I doubt he'd think any of those are fun. What made the games incredible was that we, as kids, were humans and couldn't rely on anything but our pounding hearts telling us to keep going. With chakra, everything becomes easy.

Well, in this world, chakra can't fix _everything_. But it is pretty darn efficient.

Finding myself in the mood to train, I say, "Ever heard of chakra skating?"

"Ehhh?"

Carefully I float my toe on the mirror-like water surface. The instant chill that goes up my spin makes my teeth chatter, but I continue with the next foot. Without waves to sway me, it's easy to walk to Hakushi's side. "J-Just keep y-your body still..."

Hakushi's spear vanishes. "Yeah, still."

"Then y-you... just fo-focus the chakra on your feet t-t-to push... yourself..."

I look down. This is my first attempt, so —

The chakra holding me up doesn't have much work to do to match the surface underneath. Instead of balancing myself, I try to tip the balance.

 _What's that rule? Every action has an opposite reaction?_

My chakra moves from equilibrium to pushing energy from the tips of my toes to beyond my heel, using the same amount I used for balance. I move forward half a foot. Even if the distance is horrendously poor, I feel _invigorated_.

"Ta-da!" I say to Hakushi, who, to my sudden dismay, isn't impressed.

"Can't you use more chakra?" says he, looking impatient.

"In theory, y-y-yes... but I d-don't want... your fe-feet exploding..."

Hakushi snorts. "That'll be better than the little fart you did. Alright, here goes!"

In one instant, I see Hakushi gaze to the distance, unfocused.

In the next, a giant wave of water splashing me, adding to my trembling.

Hakushi is a _human jet ski_. He takes to skating quite naturally and looks behind me within a huge smile. "Don't be a baby! Push yourself!"

My grin hurts my cheeks. I use more energy, but it only lengthens my slow drag. Using a faster pull of energy speeds me up. It's a combination of the two to get moving like Hakushi.

Though he doesn't stop moving. Whatever he does, he means he's simulating an infinite amount of energy. Like Average — I mean, Kubi and me, we can only use a finite amount, go only a certain distance.

I push with all my might and find myself gliding across the water without needing to keep using energy, other than balancing my feet so I don't fall in. Up ahead, I see green grass and realize I'm about to crash into it.

 _How do you stop?_

My hands are outstretched and spiraling to get me balanced. I can't focus enough to move my energy forward to _brake_. I can't help but think how mad Papa will be to see I disobeyed him _again._

Until something picks me up. I'm no longer moving.

"You're no mini Fugaku. He wouldn't do somethin' as dumb as learning things he doesn't know. If he failed at something in public, it'll ruin his confidence."

Hakushi turns me to face him. I can see his dark eyes now, more lucid than ever before.

"It's as he says," and he smiles slightly. "You're too clever for your own good, Takenaka."

For some reason... my face heats up... but it's not like a _I want to melt into a puddle_ feeling.

"You're freezing cold. Let me teach you something. Two words: physical energy. Circulate that heat around your body. If you keep the physical and spiritual energies balanced, you'll be vulnerable to the weather outside your flesh and bones."

 _Cool_. Maybe that was why some Jounin can stand in the hottest days of a Leaf summer with long sleeves and dark colors.

I tell him thanks... in between my shivers.

— and it's no big surprise when Mama wakes me up the next morning and gives me the harsh news.

"You left your window open all night and now you're sick. Takenaka, sometimes I just don't understand your logic," she frowns.

 **.:**

 _january, year three_

 **.:**

"Itachi is 18 months old. He can crawl, he can walk. He can speak and eat." Kanka's voice lowers. "So you don't really need a wet nurse anymore."

" _What_?" I understand her clearly but my body's reaction is slow. "You're _leaving_?"

"Soon, when your brother is 20 months. Perhaps 24 months," she tells me.

Itachi is pulling at my hair, already understanding his hair is very similar. "I'll miss talking to you," I say honestly. "I don't want you to leave."

She turns away, but not before I see dimples. Kanka digs in her bag and drops a hamburger meat colored mess in front of us. "I've brought a game with me. Itachi will love it. And his brother can help him with it."

I got the message. I sit Itachi inside my legs, tug a piece, and realize that I know this sticky, wet, earthy thing: it's clay. All I remember of clay is the nightmare of pottery classes.

The clay isn't completely normal. Other than its heavy outdoor pond smell, I can feel chakra within it. Nothing of a human's — none of the sophistication of spiritual and physical energies — and everything of the energy nature produces as a whole.

I hand the clay to Itachi and lose all connection to the clay. "This is very fun, Itachan! You can squish it and make shapes!"

Itachi furrows his brows as his chubby digits shift through the pink, it looking more like slime than the firm yet malleable pile in my hand.

 _Man_ this clay is sticky. Well, it's Kanka's job to clean Itachi as she's paid to do so!

(I'm joking, it's _mine_.)

"Enjoying it, Takenaka?"

"Yes?"

Kanka takes a big handful of clay. She's joining in, too? Isn't this all for Itachi's sake? "Watch this, please."

Kanka rolls the clay into a ball with her large hands and drops it. The mass sticks solidly together. It bounces on the ground like a rubber ball.

Clay... doesn't work that way?

"Impressive, Kanka," I say anyways. I take Itachi's arms, help roll his pile of clay, and when we drop the ball, it smacks against the ground and deflates. Kinda like it's _supposed_ to. "Oh? It didn't work? Did you use chakra on your clay?"

"Not at all," and she smiles. "You try making a ball."

Bad vibes, bad vibes.

I do it anyways. My lump is a bit more firmer and harder to roll together than Itachi's, but I drop it and it bounces. I touch the clay and realize it's as firm as a rubber ball. Whereas Itachi's ball is a wet water balloon.

What's going on?

A trap?

I _know_ how clay works and this doesn't make sense.

I narrow my eyes at the woman who continues to smile pleasantly.

"You pass."

"Pass? Excuse me?"

Unable to figure her out, I respond rudely.

"That clay," she smiles, "is very atypical. We use it at the hospital all the time, to test new recruits."

What —

"Medical-ninjutsu requires very specific chakra. The chakra must be able to nourish and nurture, to be sensitive and precise, and high control is absolutely necessary. And so the Sage Tsunade devised a clever exam after watching her brother play in their lake.

"She understood that the stickiness of clay could emulate the chakra of medics everywhere. The clay can only come together to form shapes if it senses the right chakra. That certain chakra nourishes the clay and is so sensitive that the clay can easily detect its properties."

I look at the clay I grabbed. Ah, I see. It wasn't because of my Ninshuu studies that energy radiated to me — not entirely. I feel it. I feel the energy bouncing off the clay like a lamp, feel its tremors against my own chakra.

"What are you implying?" I say carefully.

"You are a very bright boy. I would like if, while you attend the Ninja Academy, to take supplemental medical classes."

The clay burrows its nose deep into my spiritual chakra. It's freezing cold at its core. I didn't recognize it as my fingers are touching the tangible surface. It is warm. Warmed by my physical energy.

"I'm... sorry, I don't understand. You want me to become a medic-nin? Ah, I'm supposed to be a warrior and I'm more suited to offensive techniques — "

"No, you don't have to become a full fledge medic-nin, but it is recommended you take these classes. You already have immense potential. Takenaka," — her smile is gone — "only doctors and surgeons can make the clay firm. For a children to also be capable of that ability means they have an extremely high affinity for the medical arts."

"But, I don't really like medical stuff," I argue lamely. I don't like pharmacology and biology. Not that they're terrible. Nothing's ever gotten me more enthusiastic than history. "Surely I don't have to pursue this."

"It's optional. Though if you really wish to be a formidable shinobi, it would be very wise to take this opportunity. In fact..." Kanka leans in close. "I will make every lesson free. Just for you."

I can't decide.

Later that day, when Mama; Itachi; and I are eating dinner, I ask my mother, "Kanka wants me to learn medical-ninjutsu at the hospital when I'm bigger. For free, too. I don't know what to say."

Mama knits her fingers together and hmms. "She's talked to me about that very thing before."

I feel somewhat bitter that Mama is hiding things from me.

"I spoke to her about your incident with Itachi and the doctor said your brother's chakra _is_ slightly different. If it were a chakra transfer, your brother would have rejected or made your chakra into his own, however it sits within him like a protein, doing absolutely nothing but coexisting inside his chakra system."

 _What_? What did I do to him? I don't... I should've read more in-depth Ninshuu books instead of experimenting. My chakra within him could be something like a blood clot.

"Doctor Kanka says that many surgeons have that quality in chakra surgeries," Mama continues. "A piece of their chakra remains within their patient to keep them healthy. And the very property of their chakra is the only reason why the body ignores it.

"You _do_ have a gift for the medical arts. So I think you should at least explore the option. Papa and I won't really mind if you want to pursue a medic-nin career."

She smiles but that _really_ secretly means she hopes I won't just be satisfied with just that.

Well, I can't say I have any true interest in the medical arts, but my curiosity is piqued at the idea of somehow Ninshuu and medical arts being related.

"I suppose I'll give it a shot," I tell her.

 **.:**

 _march, year four_

 **.:**

"You are four today, correct?"

I nod as I eat mint chocolate ice cream, a luxury so rare in this war torn world, a little off put of the robotic-like diction of a little girl.

She's my cousin Toko, a removed cousin some kind of number beyond five. She eats her chestnut-flavored ice cream as she speaks. Of all the people at my party, I like her the best. She's so calm. Even now, she sits prim and proper.

"That's an unlucky number," Toko notices, almost like commenting on a funny dad joke. "Four is the number of death."

 _Well, gee, thanks_. I force myself to laugh though. "Then I'll prove four wrong! Four can be my lucky number!"

Toko doesn't reply, other than looking at me blankly before focusing on her ice cream. Even she understands the rarity.

"Anyways, aren't you four, too, Toko?"

"Six," and she starts to eat the waffle cone.

"You must be starting the Ninja Academy! If that's the case, you can teach me — "

"Being a ninja doesn't interest me."

Her words... are so plain... so toneless. My surprised silence is ten times the amount of emotions her words expressed.

I cough to wipe away my dumb look. "You don't want to be a ninja? Maybe when you're older then? You don't have to work hard so young, Big Sister!"

"I don't need school," Toko says. "All I need to do is become the perfect wife for my husband."

"What?"

 _What_?

I've lived in a world where there was nothing but women celebrating their equality. I remember my fifth grade history class where the girls in it would not shut up about 20th century feminism.

I understand the Hidden Leaf isn't the kind of place like America, but... this is a big culture shock.

I have a few issues with that: her dream sounds as determined as any Shounen protagonist's dream ( _I'm going to become Hokage! Believe it!_ ), but at what cost? If she's fine with it... it's okay, isn't it? What if she doesn't know any better?

"Before I was born," Toko says, either to fill the silence or to respond to my question, "I was arranged to marry a man. I am to become the best wife possible. That is all my life is good for."

 _Depression? Or just acceptance?_

I'm left silent, unsure if I should stop something I don't entirely understand or pretend it's okay — in this world, _isn't it_?

"Takenaka! Come here! I have a surprise for you!" And I see her waving at me, on the porch just in front of the kitchen.

"Mama," I mumble, gaining some sense, and am disappointed that my ice cream melted so badly. "Ah, I'll talk to you later, Big Sister!" I clean up my mess with napkin off the table between us and, before I turn to my mother, I hear:

"'Toko' is fine."

She seems... like she's almost shrinking in on herself.

"Is Big Sister too much?" I call all children older than me _Nii-kun_ or _Nee-san_ to be polite. _Obito-nii-kun. Toko-nee-san_.

Toko doesn't respond. I have to leave as Mama starts calling me once again.

"Takenaka," Mama smiles as the shade hits me, "I've a letter for you. It's from someone important."

I already received a few letters from shinobi out of the Leaf who couldn't come home in time. It's always been just Uchiha names, so I'm shocked to see the absence of Uchiha anything on the slightly crumbled envelope.

Of course I take it gratefully and open it with the letter opener. I take out the folded letter, unfurl it, read it.

 _Takenaka, it's me again. Sorry it's been so long!_

Unease knots my stomach as I read, my mental voice already adopting the sound of an exuberant woman.

 _Happy birthday! How old are you? Five? Ten? Fifty? Currently, I don't have much money to get you anything really fancy, so you can settle on something sentimental, right?_

 _Well, you know Obito, don't you?_

I hadn't heard about him in months. Hadn't seen him. Papa was adamant I no longer worry about him.

 _The only thing I can tell you is that he got a little hurt on his last mission. Obito's been knocked out for a couple months now, but he's awake now! And eventually you'll be able to see him again! You're family, so you get first access to him! And, besides, he really misses ya,you know! Don't let Fugaku-fuddy-duddy harm your relationship!_

 _See ya when I can_

— _Kushina U._

"Are you alright... Takenaka?"

 _Oh Pain_. Did he — did Kannabi — if he's in the hospital, he's not dead? Not in Madara's grasp? What about _Kakashi_? _Rin_? Minato didn't _die_ saving them?

What was different?

Why isn't he _dead_?

Everything feels too dreamlike. My birthday party is going too nicely — obviously something bad should have happened — I need to wake up —

"Calm down, I'm _here_."

Mama is kneeling before me, black eyes reflected my dazed and pale face. A part of me cringes at my weakness. "What's the matter? We can fix this together."

 _Focus. Focus._ I breathe deeply, clear my throat. "We — we need to go to the hospital, Mama. _Please_."

 **.: ZERO 2/2 END :.**

* * *

I watched the videogame cutscene of Minato versus Team Minato and Obito does sneaky things, but if top kunoichi and top boy are paired with dead last, it's quite possible Rin made that sneaky plan and Obito followed it blindly. Rin _does_ have a 4 in intelligence (and, surprisingly, knows Fire and Water Release, though I doubt they're mastered as she, too, lost her first Chuunin Exams).

I then figured it would mean that Obito probably would've never done something that tactical. His spar with Kakashi (young) wasn't anything tactically groundbreaking, instead it was a child desperate to beat his rival once and for all; Kakashi used more tactics in the past, Obito used more in the present.

In the episode when Obito fights Guy in his first attempt at the Chuunin Exams, he forgets he has candy in his mouth. Either that was purely comical or Obito wasn't _actually_ going to make a competent fireball technique and it was meant to show off for Rin? scare the other team? Once more, when Guy easily KOs Obito, it's like he doesn't think Guy will _actually_ hurt him while he's preoccupied.

In short, I think Obito wants to be Hokage because Hokage means "strong ninja" and while he has the "strong" part (he's surrounded by two prodigies, a jinchuuriki, and a girl) he doesn't understand the "ninja" part. Like a brilliant writer doesn't understand basic grammar. Brilliant ideas, intriguing character development, but not a lick of it can be cleanly read.

And within the videogame cutscene, Kushina is revealed to want a child just like Obito (she makes this wish the dawn before Kannabi Bridge mission). But as Obito is a black sheep of the family and she is jinchuuriki who should be wary of Sharingan that can control the Nine Tails, how did she and Mikoto become friends? I'd imagine there be an underlying tension between the two despite friendly words now and then.

Kushina _should_ be upset Mikoto's husband in charge does nothing for him; she's lost everything after all.

But Mikoto didn't help Obito in canon because she probably _couldn't_ and Kushina wouldn't come to terms with that.

Perhaps they're like PB and Marceline — close friends that suffered a traumatic incident leading to them growing apart, but still somewhat friendly.


	4. ZERO: ONE

_I was_ _terrified of the dark,_

 _so the darkness I became._

 _I was scared of my own demons,_

 _so I learned them all by name._

 _I was fearful of the monsters,_

 _so I became a monster too._

 _I was frightened by a ghost haunting me,_

 _until I found out it was you._

( _I Was_ — Jordan Sarah Weatherhead)

* * *

 **ONE**

 _ **A Measure of Darkness**_

 _The Years Before Academy — First Three Months_

* * *

On the evening of my fourth birthday in this world, I have to spend it in the hospital.

Mama is here with me, after forcing Papa to stay at home with Itachi and the others, probably guessing Papa would try to badmouth Obito. She sits calmly with her hands folded in her lap, but I can sense tension from her as well. I didn't tell her everything.

We're waiting for the okay from the medics, to officially tell us Obito is in the right mental state for visitors. As we sit in this busy waiting room, all around us are wounded people with their dirty flak jackets or white bandages spotted with red and brown. It's their eyes that are the worst of all — eyes that Mama tells me to avoid at all costs.

"Uchiha... Mikoto? Takenaka?" It is a voice belonging to the same plump nurse that told us to wait in this room earlier. I spring out my chair and manage to slow myself down to something more graceful by the time I reach her side. Vaguely, I smell cookies from her.

"Yes, ma'am," Mama says, at my side and I didn't notice when or how she got there, "any news?"

"Yes. Obito — he's free to have visitors. Just, um, exercise caution. He's excitable," and she looks up helplessly.

We head up four flights and find room 505. With two knocks, I'm entering the room regardless of Obito's voice, and stop when I see _Tobi_.

 _Or The Masked Man_.

Or the _Traitorous Bastard._

 _Madara_.

"Takenaka!" He fully turns to me, the evening shadows disappearing from _him_ due to the lamp light. _Two_ dark eyes like Mama's rest within the mask's eye holes. Not one. No Sharingan. "You're _here_!"

 _Obito?_ is sitting up in his bed propped next to a window, and I realize how tiny this room is. I have bathrooms bigger than this place. I sit on the edge of his bed and smile. "You're okay..."

"Of course I am! I'm Obito Uchiha! I've got a legacy to fulfill!"

His arrogance isn't as annoying as I remember.

"Do you..." I begin too bluntly, "...want to talk about what happened?"

His breathing is choppy for a few seconds. _Obito?_ scratches his neck. "Well, er, I don't really remember much..."

"You don't trust me? That's okay," and a part of me hates my manipulation.

"No! I do! It's um — it's my fault, really. This is... it's 'cause I took the hit Rin was supposed to get, and they took me to their hideout. And they questioned me... just a little. Made me spill some Leaf secrets. And — and then there was a huge explosion — a-after I woke up and ran — and I saw Rin and Kakashi and my eyes were burning really badly but I saw I could save them and I did, well, mostly, so I'm told."

 _Huh?_ Figures his retelling would be sloppy. I don't think he's told anyone what happened yet. He speaks to get rid of the thoughts on his chest than to make a coherent story. "This was in... the Leaf?"

"No, some other place. Pretty far away..." he replies quickly.

"Kanabi Bridge?"

I almost swear because he looks at me blankly. "What? What kinda place is that?"

( _I can't believe it's not Kanabi Bridge_.)

I recover quickly as the cold log in my stomach eases. My forced laugh fills the small room. "You h-had me so worried, Big Brother. Arguably, I still am. But right now, I'm okay. What persuaded you to do all of this?" I gesture to my face.

Obito says without a degree of uncertainty, "Because you believe in me!"

"Huh?"

He squirms in the bed, the new topic having riled him up. "Thanks to you I won the Exams! I was so close to giving up again and you cheered me on! I felt like a hero, y'know. And heroes don't let their friends down. Either I freeze up like a coward and see Rin or... Kakashi hurt — or, or _I_ stop them. And that's what I did."

I suppose I'm wrong. Something fundamental changed within Obito. I thought it was the etiquette lessons I gave him, but he follows those so haphazardly around me. I'm missing interactions between Obito and Rin. I taught the boy no ninja art to get stronger but evidently he _has_ gotten stronger.

I know Obito expects for me to say something positive, to be every bit as excited as he, but I find myself calm as I rest on the pillow next to him, barely taking up much room.

I've got every intention being next to Obito in the Kanabimission. I don't how, but I figured I'll cross that bridge when I get there. For now, if I do fail, I don't _want_ Obito to get hurt by Rin's death. Or Madara's manipulation.

I drop this bombshell, "Do you really love Rin?"

"Wh-What? Where'd this come from...?"

I don't look at him as I speak. "I really, really want you to be happy, Big Brother. But if you don't love Rin after knowing her for so long... you'll definitely won't be happy."

"Don't... don't worry about that! I like Rin so much! Nothing's gonna change that!" His bravado cracks in his confusion.

"The way you describe your love is like a hopeless crush. She always seems like she's out of your league. I'm told that if you love someone, you should feel as their equal," I say, pulling from every dating and love article or quiz I browsed in a past life, almost ashamed of my knowledge.

He doesn't respond.

"And that means with every step you take, you do so to be alongside Rin. Her happiness is yours, her sadness is yours, and every memory you make together is unforgettable."

I'm rambling, dancing around my true message, but I feel like if I tell him outright, our conversation will end and I'll be forced to leave.

"Not everyone realizes this, but love is _hard work_. You've got to make sacrifices, commitments, and compromises. But it pays off when you're together, old and in diapers. If you love her and she doesn't love you back, you'll be able to let go, won't you? Because if you actually have a crush on her, you — like every other person — might become lovesick and unstable. That's not healthy at all..."

I can't really say _If Rin dies before you because of your best friend, you won't start a worldwide murder, huh?_

The air is heavy. Obito can probably hear my pounding heart.

"...I love her," he says with a quiet finality. "That's not gonna change. You don't think she'll love me back, too?"

"I'm... saying... that just because Big Brother loves someone, doesn't mean your love has to _return_ it back. No one is obligated to love anyone. But if Rin is prepared to make the commitment and so is Big Brother, then I'll be very happy."

Obito exhales through his nose as he scratches under the mask. "Huh. Yeah. Okay. But... I hope she does love me back, though. I'm willing to do those things you said."

I smile. "That's great. Big Brother is really maturing, you know? Last year, I met a boy who knew nothing about social etiquette! Today, I see a boy who could be Hokage one day soon."

Obito punches the sky. "Heck _yeah_! I'm Obito Uchiha — don't ya ever forget it!"

To keep the air lighthearted, I change the topic to pointless things like Itachi's first word and his first steps and his first sprint, to the foods Itachi hates and likes and loves playing with more than eating, to Itachi favorite songs to fall asleep to...

"Hey, Takenaka," Obito says. "Aren't you a little... too fascinated by your little brother?"

I barely register his interruption. " _Uwah_? I have no idea what you mean! I'm just a vigilant older brother! Oooh! I can't wait until Itachan goes to the Academy! I'll make his lunches the talk of the school!"

My friend used to show me so-cute-you'll-throw-up Japanese lunches where the goal was to make food as cute as possible. I hated them so much, was confused why anyone would spend that much time making food that pretty that you were gonna eat.

But now it warms my heart to imagine Itachi eating cube-sliced watermelons with blackberry skin for eyes and a cute smile.

"I got something more cooler to talk about," Obito says. "It's about Rin, again."

"Shoot," I resign, a bit bitter that my fantasy got demolished.

"Well... thank you for teaching me all those things about girls," he starts bashfully. "I still made a pretty reckless choice taking the blow for them, but I told Rin, as she was healing my burns, that I don't regret it. My body... it kinda moved on its own."

 _Pain_. It's like looking into the depths of Sasuke's eyes.

"Rin made a face I never seen her make before... and I can't figure out what went through her mind. It's been a while since then, so I'm kinda worried she's over it. But for me it feels like it was yesterday."

"I see," I mumble. I asked for this, to _basically_ be Obito's love doctor. "I can't help Big Brother with every decision, but... whatever happens, communication is key. So many relationships fall apart because of miscommunication. It's really sad to see couples drift apart. You have to be careful that Rin knows your every intention. If she has room to doubt you, you aren't communicating effectively enough."

Those words are easier said than done. It's up to him to take action.

"Thank you." I hear the smile in his words. "You're so smart, Takenaka."

"I'm not," I respond automatically.

"Why do you always say that? Not just you, but other smart guys I talk to. Do you just not get how smart you are?"

"I know that I have more knowledge than most," I sigh. "But I'm not _smart_. That makes it sound like I'm a beneficial genius or all-knowing, but really, I just know a few things average people don't know. That's not what I would call 'smart'."

And my prose suffers immensely. I clear my throat.

"What I mean to say is that I will only consider myself 'smart'" — air quotes — "if I can actually implement what I learned in real life in innovative ways. I do not consider telling you things most people wouldn't know as 'smart'."

He pouts under his mask, even huffs. "You're selling yourself short. That's not all you do."

"Oh? Do you think so?"

" _Duh_. You're the only three-year-old I know that already knows how to do fireball — eh, minus the fire. I didn't need to teach you the seals! You're crazy active and always reading thick, scary lookin' books! You use big words like 'innovative' and stuff. You got your life together while I'm still confused."

I jolt in surprise.

Obito is very straightforward. If he noticed _that_ , then more perceptive people can see that and _more_.

I grope uselessly for an evasion. "Well... honestly — you know, we wouldn't be talking about this if you weren't so reckless, Big Brother! Shame on you, for making a fair maiden worried about you! And me too!" I poke his belly — woah, he has _abs_ under all that orange? — and Obito laughs.

Someone taps lightly against the door. It cracks open a smidgen and there's Mama with bright red flowers in hand, setting them on Obito's table. The boy reverts to his twitchy formalness around her, despite Mama's attempts to break the ice.

"Thanks for stopping by, Mikoto-sama, Takenaka-sama!" He's bowing way too deeply and it makes both of us a little uncomfortable. "I, uh, I'm deeply endowed to your presence!"

We leave soon after, a heaviness off our shoulders.

"Takenaka?"

"Yes?"

"Did Obito mean 'indebted'?"

A laugh bursts from me. "Honestly, both words work for a guy like Big Brother."

.:

The twentieth of March marks the day of my official ninja training, and my teacher is none other than Papa.

We're up early, doing exercises while nocturnal animals are getting to sleep and the diurnal animals are slowly waking up. It's actually too early — I've never heard of practices this simple starting so soon. Either Papa has places to be or he's maybe _too_ eager for this. I _am_ his first son, after all.

"Let's warm up," Papa smiles, as if it's early afternoon and he's been up and going forever.

"Yessir," I reply with less enthusiasm, but still making an effort. And in our backyard I go through the official Ninja Academy warm up routine.

Papa does his own routine alongside me, asking once I'm finished and the physical energy is pumping through my veins, "Who taught you that? I was expecting to go through warm ups together."

"I did, I read it in a book." I spied on the Academy kids too. "Let's continue!"

He chuckles.

"The fundamentals of ninja arts include awareness of the energy within us, to master the chakra used to create techniques such as this — " Papa flies through six familiar seals and a small fireball blossoms to life between us.

A distance away, crows squawk.

Papa's face is bright with glee. "That's a highly advanced technique I don't recommend you doing."

"Yes, that's true," I agree. I go through the signs and focus focus _focus_ on that hotness of fire, but heated black smoke and chakra comes out. "I can't make flames, Papa."

"Takenaka! Who taught you _that_?" This might become my father's one-defining quote.

"Me. Truly me. Obito certainly isn't a good teacher and you can just ask him to see for yourself," I tell my jittery father. "I watched you, Papa, and I can't manage the fire myself."

"It's a very advanced technique for your age, Takenaka..."

"Then can Papa show me nature transformation? Please? I think I already grasp chakra fundamentals."

"What? I told you that you were too young to begin training," Papa scowls, being that perceptive man I know.

"I've always had good control," I lie. "Even Kanka wants me to become a part-time medic-nin — she offered her lessons for free."

Mama didn't tell this to him at all. His eyes widen for a fraction of a second before a mask hides it. "Oh. That is not like the doctor in the slightest."

 _There's more to her I'm missing_. I continue, "We can still do basic chakra lessons. I'm glad spending time with Papa anyways!"

A ninja is still susceptible to an ego boost. Though after a few minutes of basic chakra control exercises, Papa is keenly aware that they're all too easy for me. He teaches me mediation, only to be shocked I've already mastered it ages ago.

The fundamentals are already learned. I really want him to teach me nature transformation.

Papa is at a loss as he keeps taking breaks to think. I figure he had a lesson plan entirely sketched out, but I completely ruined his schedule and we've only been at it for an hour and a half.

"Then," he begins, a trite awkwardly, "I guess we can move up to more intermediate skills."

Intermediate chakra exercises aren't as mastered, a plus and a negative. It's no longer boring but now I'm really beginning to see how little power some foreknowledge can give a person.

It's back to working real hard.

Papa gives me six large leaves, some bigger than my small hands. "This is an intermediate technique that teaches you how to control chakra _outside_ of your body. You'll find that chakra inside your body is very easy to control. Use your chakra to stick the leaves together to create a doll."

Papa taps his index finger on one leaf and, very faintly, blue light streams to leaf, connects to the other five, and forms a leaf doll. The ends of the leaves form joints: shoulders, pelvis, neck. It even waves hello to me (and I wave back).

"Movement is an advanced skill," Papa adds, pride showing.

I see that Papa uses chakra strings to keep the doll in place. Never tried them. One, I'm too busy to focus on such an isolated skill. Two, I never liked practicing techniques that could leave me drained. Then my parents would realize I'd been using chakra without permission.

But Papa _did_ "teach" me how to stick a leaf to my palm during the basics. So using a concept like tree walking (which isn't too dissimilar to leaf sticking), I think I have a solution to this problem.

Papa releases his control to allow me to try and I swear I feel arrogance from him. _Daring_ me to beat him.

Though outwardly, he just looks excited.

Well, I flood my chakra through the first leaf carefully. Maybe I could rip it, even though it's a very thick and waxy leaf. The energy of the leaf tickles my _energy_ — it's all too weird to understand — and blends and works with me.

Then I spread my chakra to the next leaves and focus on making the joints of the body stick together. It requires way too much micromanaging, like Karada's infamous tea ceremony practices and Marui's hard-as-hell math. Soon my head is throbbing and exhaustion pounds under my skin.

I persist.

One arm is sticking and it feels like I won the lottery.

The sun is rising by the time I get the other two limbs to stick together and to stay. My head is pulsing at all the individual tasks going on, really contesting that myth brains can't multitask, and the last leaf sticks.

Ever so slowly, I pick up my hand and stand the doll up. I've got all five fingers on my doll's head compared to Papa's one, but it works.

Papa, who'd been watching me the entire time, blinks once, thrice. "You... managed a doll in one attempt?"

He looks shocked even though I'm a sweaty, exhausted mess right now. The use of physical energy to make the leaves' surfaces sticky leaves my body shivering and pale. Spiritual energy used to spread my presence through the leaves messes with my sense of time.

"Can it move?" he asks, tentative.

"Not enough chakra for that, Papa," I gasp. Definitely not enough stamina.

Papa nods. "Right. I see. Even my gifted son has his limitations."

He thinks I'm advanced? I'm a little happy. Still, there's many things I have to do before Itachi. I don't feel advanced. He only thinks so because I'm his only four-year-old son and there's no one to compare me to.

"Take a break for today. Get some rest. Perhaps if I'm home early, we can continue the doll practice."

I interpret it as: master the doll by the time he gets back home. So I get to work — after I take a brief nap and nibble breakfast.

"Tata," Itachi calls, eyes locked on my leaves. "What?"

"Oh, Itachan! This is my homework! It's very tiring, as you can see. Even so, Tata keeps on going! You should try this out, too, when you're older." I try to get the doll to wave, but no dice. I see why Papa chose chakra strings: to really create a marionette affect. "You'll be able to do this when you're four, but be very careful. If you work too hard, you'll definitely die. But I think Itachan's very clever. That won't be a problem, will it?"

Itachi's lips thin. He can understand a lot of words but speaks so few. I know he understands that "death" isn't anything to be happy about. He goes back to his scribbling just because his big brother draws (I will hang his pictures on the walls of my room eventually) and I go back to work.

Chakra strings will take too long to master. I don't even understand the concept of creating them yet. I'll work with what I have. What are sticky things that move? All I can think of are magnets. Especially those cool portable magnets that I could put in my palm and another on the back of my hand and have them stick together, feeling a small trace the magnetic field between them.

(Does chakra have a magnetic field? I'd... rather just ask someone than think of that.)

What if I can make a certain area stickier than the other, simulating polarity? If I could make, for example, the arm leaf somewhat receptive to my chakra and wanting to stick, I could increase my chakra stickiness in one area apart of the arm. It'll lean to that side.

It's like attracting flies in one sugar pile then getting even more with another, larger sugar pile. Sort of.

It takes hours to see results, though. This process is so delicate and my reserves are so shoddy that I know I won't be able to do Itachi-levels of giftedness and am forced to do simple movements. But by alternating the stickiness in the leaves above the arm and leaves below the arm, my doll slowly waves like the second hand of a clock.

Simulating walking is easier. Just increase the stickiness of the leaf to the center and cause it to fold in on itself then release. I have to move my hand across the floor for it to go anywhere of course. But it looks really endearing.

I take a long nap before dinner. Papa is home and we get to eat together as a family again.

I bring my leaves to the table. "Papa, look."

"Takenaka," Mama says, a tone warning me of her incoming lecture, "please don't put plants on our dinner table. We eat food here. You'll get us sick."

"I know, but, a moment, Papa taught me a trick this morning."

Mama gives Papa a dark look that has him wincing.

"Make it quick, Takenaka," he says.

I form the doll and Mama gasps. My headache returns but I push through. The doll waves "hello!" slowly, then walks to Papa, and bows.

I drop the technique completely to grab my throbbing head. "It's not much. Is that alright with Papa?"

Mama is clapping. I smile at her.

Papa squeezes my shoulder. I see his black eyes are glittering and I can't begin to associate him with the stereotypical villain I thought the series portrayed him as.

"Well done, my son," he beams. "That's perfect. Unique. Whatever technique you're using... it's far more elaborate than mine."

I sway a little on my feet. Because the angle of Papa's face changes. And I really can't feel past my legs.

"Takenaka, I think you need rest more than food..."

"...Fugaku, he's young! Please don't push him so hard!"

"...wasn't expecting him to progress so quickly..."

It's dark. The world is rocking. I'm really warm.

Really warm. There's something on top of me. It's not unpleasant. I keep still.

Then dancing dolls play with Itachi. I'm sleeping. Definitely sleeping and I can't wake up. Don't want to.

A part of me feels the slow spread of chakra restoring me as I sleep.

.:

Year three's Core Curriculum is also hell. The Physical Evaluation isn't too bad. It's the math. Geometry — I really can't wrap my brain around it.

With an adult's mind, academics are a breeze and I've both _seen_ and read all of the Leaf's and world's history, so history is passed the day of my pretest ("I don't believe it!" Marui rocked on her feet. "How on earth d-d-did you make a per-perfect score on a pretest?"). Of course the issue is that concepts my young adult brain (though, honestly, at 18 I was pretty immature) didn't get when I wasn't a kid still pertain to me now.

"Most children perform averagely on the math section," Marui says to console me. "Very few make anything other than a B. There are rarely As. Even with your Cs, you've come a long way, Takenaka."

I'm so frustrated by this problem I glare at her. "I don't _want_ to be average, Marui-sensei. But I _thank you_ anyways."

She gulps at my tone. "...do you really want to be in the Ninja Academy for three years? I think — um, think you can pass in one..."

She's so well-intentioned. My anger fades. "Sorry. Um, no, I don't think I'll be in the Academy for that long."

"So why do you keep studying so hard? You may never learn this in class..."

— because Chuunin Exams's exam, duh.

"Because I still have a duty to learn this even though I'm out of school. I'd rather not be an ignorant shinobi others abuse."

"...ah, good point, yes..."

That, too.

I don't really know how many shinobi actually are knowledgeable up to the fifth year and how many of them are doing. Some ninja only have two years under their belt and are such good tacticians or super charismatic people that they are successful. This could be all for nothing.

But whatever. Growing up, poverty taught me that I should take all the academic advantages I could get. That'll lead me to more opportunities. More options than if I took the easy way or gave up.

I just hate how much work goes into everything in real life. In MMORPGs, leveling up is as simply as fetch quests and slaying bosses. Difficult, but accomplish-able within a week. In real life, things can take months or years.

"I can't understand math," I huff. "Aren't guys supposed to be good at this stuff?"

It's rhetorical, but Marui interjects, "Yes, typically. It is f-funny to see you struggle. But... I think it's because your mind in hardwired to work with clues already provided to you... than to work out the clues from the puzzle called math!" And she forces a cheer.

I groan uncharacteristically. Marui is the _only_ person I really can't keep up a facade with. How can a person do so many wrong things and still be alive?

Oh. Add Obito to the list, then.

.:

"Well done," Papa nods. "You are progressing quickly."

It's not the best compliment ever (as what I'm doing is comparable to a 5th grader breezing through 1st grade work), but I take it with the sentiment it was given.

Over the month, I steadily inched my way to more advanced chakra skills. It had been obvious my father only wanted to touch upon these elements, expecting the beginner topics to take up much of the year. Now he teaches me whatever, curious to see how far I can go.

He told me if I could master this one last skill, he'd teach me nature transformation. I, eager to start learning _all the Fire Release ever_ , took on that challenge.

"This skill was a pain for me to learn in school," Papa begins. "It took me until I was a Chuunin to understand it. You expecting to master this as quickly as you've done the others is a bit... presumptuous, to say the least."

"I call it 'confidence'," I beam.

"What ever name it goes by, _expect_ a challenge for once," he acquiesces. "Beginning skills teach one how to move and listen to the chakra within oneself. Intermediate skills teach one how to transfer that chakra outside the body and still listen to it. Advanced skills teach one how to listen to the chakra interact with world and how humans interpret it — the hardest thing for a ninja to do."

No joke. Three advanced skills I learned so far (sensing chakra residue, using chakra pulses for limited night vision, recognizing chakra in real and fake scrolls) took up 2/3s of the month. It wasn't all that fun after the first time I passed out from exhaustion. Frankly, it was tedious and annoying that failure seemed endless. Willpower carried me through.

But if I could have the chance to really learn my clan's techniques, I'm okay with that suffering... sort of.

"The final advanced skill for you: chakra suppression."

That doesn't sound so bad. I heard about that all the time in the _Narutoverse_ and whatnot.

"This skill prevents others from sensing chakra within you. The better you are, the more advanced sensors you can trick. The only hint you'll receive is that you have to disconnect the cyclical molding of chakra in your core and find out what to do with the remaining chakra still in your body. The rest is up to you, Takenaka."

Then Papa's clone disappears.

I sit in my room, lotus pose, fists on my knees, and meditate. I concentrate on my core, the source of the energy flowing through me.

I touch its presence.

(I'd read in _How Medics Operate on Shinobi_ that chakra systems are the least corporeal part of the body. When a person dies, their chakra system is the first to go back into the environment to form natural energy. It's probably a reason why so many Leaf villagers believe in reincarnation — though not to the extent of _my case_.

To examine the chakra of those who once were, medics use a highly advanced sensor to decode the remains or a Hyuuga to see the remains chakra system. In the latter case, the system is like our skulls and skeletons: very, very unique to the person yet still having a somewhat uniform appearance. It's kind of cool.)

My core is the most solid bundle of energy I've touched. It has the most collection of chakra and is the go to place to see who a ninja was. It feels like a pulsing sphere of _raw power_ that I can hold like a baseball. It's hard to understand that the energy within me actually has no real form.

Regardless, I have to reach into this heat and frost, spiraling, coalescing, to its black hole of-a-center propelling the infinite circle.

And then "disconnect".

I have no idea what that implies. Papa said "...find out what to do with the remaining chakra still in your body", but the heck does that mean? Doesn't the cycle stop when a human dies? How could suppression involve the stopping of an entire organism? I just thought "chakra suppression" had to deal with something like suppression in _Dragon Ball Z_. This is suicide. Right?

— _but the cool nature transformation, bro; Pain, we gotta._

I dive into the black hole's event horizon. My energies are fading colors in the back of my mind. Forget having a heart, lungs, blood — my existence is purely metaphysical.

Looking back over my shoulder, I see rainbow afterimages of me, as blurry and bright as sun halos.

Stretching and distorting — _spaghettification_.

I thought — I thought my physics teacher was _joking_ about that term — that being a real, scientific word to be used for black holes —

My afterimages flatten and compress into long stretches of noodle-thin waves.

Then the colors tighten themselves too much and disappears, leaving me surrounded in this black _space?_.

I am every ounce of energy of my body and I am not every ounce. I retain my conscience so maybe conscience isn't an extension of spiritual energy?

Or maybe I'm losing it. I have a feeling most people _probably_ don't go through something like this.

I am halfway there. Halfway to where ever. As my energy fades away, fades into plain air, I'm surrounded by the pressure that compels the cycle in my body.

A white sphere.

The thing looks like a neutron star.

It's made of indescribable energy. I think it even goes beyond _that_. This thing is basically the _unknown_ humans fear — except for a normal human it's death. For me, my entire body, the energy I need for ninjutsu, for medical ninjutsu, for sensing, for Ninshuu, more — it's a Paindamned ball of _metaphysical metaphysics_.

(A thought occurs to me suddenly: is this where the Tailed Beasts are placed? Because this place is beyond chakra and beyond energy, so it'd be the perfect cell for a monster, wouldn't it?)

The ball of _metaphysical metaphysics_ rotates slowly despite extreme pressure coming from it. It's threatening to suck me in. That doesn't seem like the best option.

So I tell it: _Don't pull me in! I have to disconnect you, for a second, so please stop._

It doesn't have ears or any sound holes so it doesn't stop at all.

If it's something beyond energy, words won't really work, huh? I will myself to think nothing but of stopping the sphere's pull. Refrain. Desist. _Cut it out_.

It works. Really works. The mass stops pulling. Yet I still fall into the pure white, feeling nothing but a vague tingling sensation.

But it's just the sunlight on my closed eyelids and the incomprehensible brightness as I open them and slowly readjust.

I stare at the window with a white glow for a bit. Am I... 18 again? I feel normal. I feel _normal_. No spooky powers within me. No annoying energy in the air. No psychic connection to a little brother. It's just human _me_.

Was this all a bad dream?

I shift. My body isn't acting too normal after all.

I feel like a drunken astronaut on the moon in water.

A part of me feels the arm move, slightly, like it's been frostbitten. A part of me sees the arm move detachedly and sees the afterimages it creates.

I've done it now. I've really broken myself now.

There's a black smudge in front of me. My ears feel a kind of vibration against them. The smudge takes my wrist and creates bonus afterimages more nauseating than kinda cool.

 _Let go of me! Who are you?_

The shadow on my wrist turns green and it's all wrong. It's bad CGI. The glow slithers its way up my arm to my chest and gathers at my belly.

The fire that bursts within me is so very cold.

— what am I doing on the floor? My body holds the remains of cold chakra. The same temperature of the doctor's during my checkups. I hate the coolness of it.

I look to the medic-nin in question. Kanka is brewing something smelling like honey. "What happened?" My voice is slow.

"I should be asking you that question, boy," but her body language isn't as chilly as her words. "What were _you_ doing? You completely vanished from my senses! You weren't contemplating suicide, were you?"

"No," I mouth more than say. "Chakra suppression."

" _Chakra suppression_? Well, you got it half right, Takenaka. No skilled sensor could have picked up your chakra. It'd be impossible! However, you took the concept too far."

Yeah, no surprise there.

"Suppression is the art of disconnecting the spiral within your core so that it cannot make _new_ chakra. Then your body is that of a walking corpse. Many field sensors cannot sense old and decaying energy within humans. They train themselves to sense the pulse of new energy."

"So... where did I screw up?"

"Two ways. One, you are _too young_ and have _too little_ reserves for this. Your body still needs chakra desperately to grow. Two, rather than temporarily disconnecting your chakra, you stopped _all_ flow entirely."

"I don't understand the difference," is what I mumble rather than _What's the difference? They sound the exact same._

"Disconnection is a temporary block of chakra production, nourishment, and transportation through the body. What you did was block your core from making chakra indefinitely." Kanka looks like she finished her elixir as she starts to clean up her area. "I've only seen permanent cessation of chakra in still alive humans a few times — only because of a vindictive Hyuuga. So you had begun to die. Lucky for you, I restarted your system."

"...thank you, Kanka."

She hums and starts to feed me whatever it is she's made. My body is jello at this point.

The yellowish-brown liquid burns as it slides down my throat and heats my stomach.

"Just a little potion to help your physical energy. Your spiritual energy is working just fine. But since you can't get up and about, your physical energy can't balance itself."

"What's in it?"

"A little bit of chakra, little bit of catalysts, little bit of wine," Kanka smirks.

"Thanks. I get to be drunk like Mr. Hakushi always is." It sucks I can't really smile properly for my humor to get across.

"Now then, what shall we do with this mess you've made?"

"Don't tell my parents! They'll panic and not give me the freedom I need to learn this stuff."

"Yet by giving you this freedom, you nearly died."

"Well..." I'm thinking so hard to get out of this. "If I didn't have you at my side, I would be dead. I think in that sense... medic-nin are really cool. I don't mind working hard to become one."

Oh! She smiles and I've won her over. "I'm glad you realize that."

Actually, it makes total sense. I want to explore the limits of this body and it'll help to know when not to go farther due to medical knowledge. Yeah... I guess I don't really mind Kanka.

"But... can I learn chakra healing...? Not just body healing," I ask, not really knowing where I'm going.

"Hm?"

"Well, I like the idea of chakra systems more than my body. It comes more natural to me. Isn't there a way I can learn more chakra stuff?"

"You mean become a specialist? That's entirely possible. There _are_ too many girls who like healing injuries and wounds and not taking on the confounding mystery of chakra. But you do need to learn both types before you can specialize, Takenaka."

"Yes, ma'am. I'm fine with that."

By the time my parents come home late at night, I'm mostly alright, just exhausted. Kanka says I'm still healing, so I can't practice as long as I want to. But I think Papa is content to know I'm not flying through a technique that took him years to learn.

With Kanka's vigilance and my short training time, I manage to discover "disconnect". I really did go too far, and I'm afraid to mention what I saw to any other soul.

To me, the "disconnect" is holding my breath. A self-imposed restriction that fulfills a certain duty. It's commanding the chakra to stop temporarily, but — unlike what I did — it's still breathing and existing and waiting to restart. And to keep from dying or suffering affects of chakra exhaustion, it's okay to release a small amount of energy every so often. With time, it'll become easier to suppress for longer and to suppress quickly.

I'm happy to show Papa after 10 days of work my new skill. One that I really like.

His eyes are the embers left after a fire. "Of course you learned it. Then I'll just have to teach you nature transformation."

 _Yes. Yes. Yes._

"To master Fire Release, we'll begin at beginning exercises and work our way up. Don't be disappointed, now. You'll be able to perform the fireball you want so much."

Papa gives me a thin string coated in what he calls a "chakra catalyst". Boy is he a little put off when I say I know what it is. The catalyst intensifies and speeds up reaction — more bang for less cost. All I have to do is focus on changing the nature of my chakra to "explosive and greedy" to manifest a flame. The string will burn and I'll get a new one to start over with.

But Papa gives me one rule.

I have to sit in Itachi's nursery to practice while under Kanka's watchful eye.

"My time runs thin, you know," she tells me. "When your brother turns two, I'll no longer be needed."

"I don't want to think about that yet," I reply, focusing on my unlit string.

"Still stuck on Fire Release, eh?"

"Yes. I don't get why this is so hard."

"Your chakra is working in the right way, objectively speaking. But the intent just isn't there."

I look over at her as she dresses my brother. "What do you mean?"

"The property of your chakra is different than most. It's not made to be passionate as fire."

"I took the induction test and the paper burned. That's not it."

"...strange. The papers are never wrong. But if that's the case, if you are moving your chakra appropriately, then you should be having no problems creating fire. Even a _catalyst_ can turn villagers into Genin."

"Self-esteem is through the roof right now, Kanka."

"I thought your chakra was abnormal because of your _suppression_ stint. But maybe it was already unusual even before then."

"Now you're just leaping — "

Kanka lights a scented candle and places it next to me. Apple blossom. Nice. But more importantly she tells me, "If you can, draw upon the fire's energy and then attempt fire yourself."

I'm desperate so I listen. Meditating, I sense the fire's heat and gluttonous energy. I manifest my chakra outside my body and surround the flame with my hands. I sort of let the fire's energy bounce among my external energy, letting the two combine until it feels like something new, but still mine.

I pull away my hands and see the candle has gone out and the fire spreads harmlessly over my hands. I'm not convinced. For all know, I just recreated fire on alcohol.

I carefully mix this new energy and my energy together until the two work together. The fire grazes my skin —

" _Ow_."

I smother the flames on the floor. Once out, there's a hand-sized burn on Itachi's carpet. My own hands are bright pink.

"Tata," Itachi calls, "you burn carpet. Bad bad."

I grin. "It was an accident! Keep it a secret, 'kay, Itachan! I'll love you forever!"

He frowns, though, like a condescending parent.

Kanka moves and draws my attention. She notices my eyes on her. "You're a prodigy in chakra manipulation, my boy."

 _Oh Paindamn, is this the clay business all over again?_

"Stop testing me," I snap. "I agreed that being a medic-nin is sort of cool, so cut it out. I want to learn Fire Release so I can make Papa proud and protect my family. Please, it's _war_ , and I can't really think of anything other than being strong enough to protect everyone. So stop screwing with me. I need to learn this!"

I _almost_ make a rude comment about her past. Even I know not to make unnecessary enemies. I think.

"I wasn't testing you. I was observing you, yes. That technique you did should help you in creating fire. If you believe me, then burn that rope."

I don't drop my glare from the woman. I find the rope somewhere off to my side and hold both ends.

She may be right. Within me, I feel a tiny portion of the fire's energy mixed into my own. It rests within, a pocket of air inside water. I bring the remnants of the feeling to my fingertips and the string explodes with heat.

"Agh!"

I let go, seeing two bright blue fires surging up the fraying strings, and merging at the center. The fires cancel each other out, leaving ash behind.

"What did I — ?" My body trembles, working overtime because of my fright.

None of the fire remains inside me.

"Tata!" Itachi fights the wet nurse's hold, but even I know he can't escape.

"It _did_ work," Kanka says, eyes wide. "You understand now, don't you?"

"No, not really!" I don't like not knowing what's going on.

"It's simple. Your chakra _lacks_ the capacity to transform into nature. So if you gathered some potential energy from a nature you wanted to emulate, you can then create the nature you need. Well... at least the theory works for your main affinity. I have no idea of the other natures."

She's looking at me with the look Orochimaru no doubt gives to orphan children he wants as test subjects.

"I'm an experiment to you. Aren't I?"

She barks a laugh. "Perceptive! I'm only curious in the absurdity that is your system. It may help me to become an even better medic-nin, possibly to even become Tsunade-sama's apprentice! At the very least, I could be the sensei of a famous medic-nin indeed."

"I don't have to be your student," I warn.

"No," but her glee doesn't fade, "but you do owe me the favor. I've kept many a-things hidden from your parents. You don't want me to reveal anything, hm?"

Oh _f_ —

See, Obito? I'm not smart. At the most, I'm knowledgeable. I know some things about a lot of things. But to create such a formidable person in my first four years of life says how badly I've screwed up. If Kanka could manipulate me this hard, I'm no match for Danzou's or Orochimaru's or even Itachi's intelligence.

Something bitter courses through me. It's not tears, though it stings my throat. It upsets my stomach. My chakra lights up like I'm in the heat of battle.

It's _it_.

The legendary, infamous _Uchiha pride_.

Because my Uchiha Pride is telling me, "You just got curbstomped in a battle of wits by an old lady and you didn't even know when the battle began. You call _Obito_ a failure of a ninja."

She played me like a fiddle when I thought I was playing _her_.

 _"If I didn't have you at my side," I say, trying desperately to convince her, "I would be dead. I think in that sense... medic-nin are really cool. I don't mind working hard to become one."_

 _Oh! She smiles and I've won her over. "I'm glad you realize that."_

 _"It's optional. Though if you really wish to be a formidable shinobi, it would be very wise to take this opportunity. In fact..." Kanka leans in close. "I will make every lesson free. Just for you."_

 _"Of course I did! Would've thought a bright boy could remember something like that!" She's teasing me. "Your chakra's changed much since I last nursed you, but your brain's still alright, isn't it?"_

Kanka is a _chakra sensor_ , a damn good one at it, so she _knows_ whenever I've been training my chakra under her watch. And I didn't realize it. She did that stupid clay test _because_ she'd sensed the change in my chakra and knew it fit perfectly for her medic-nin scheme. I was always around her when she had Itachi so she had many attempts to gauge my chakra personally. What if she told me those sob stories just to get me to stay at her side a little _longer_?

I had told Marui in a bout of superiority and frustration: "I'd rather not be an ignorant shinobi others abuse."

"You have your way," I hiss. "For now."

.:

I thought I was going to have mindless fun planning Itachi's second birthday party with my mother, making it a small event as many people are still grieving, until Mama says, "Oh, we actually have 4000 ryo less than I thought."

"What do you mean?" I think she's mostly talking out loud. I peer over her shoulder by jumping on top of the counter. She's filing a budget list. It's way in-depth, down to taxes and inflation.

"I paid Karada only half pay yesterday," she explains, sort of.

"Eh? Wouldn't that just be 2000? One of you guys told me he's 4000 ryo per day."

" _Or_ you were snooping when you thought Karada was some sort of spy," Mama closely guesses. "But anyways, we hired him for Itachi, too."

"...what?"

My Karada? In the hands of _Itachi_?

 _"Hello, little one. Little-r one definitely learns far more quickly than you! You ought to take lessons from him instead." Whacks with a fan._

"How long has Karada worked with Itachi?" I feel sick.

"Not long. We haven't had much money lately."

Figured as much. Even Kanka rarely shows up. But darn you, Karada, for not even betraying the slightest hint you were teaching my brother! I would've worked harder!

"Takenaka, where are you going? We aren't finished yet."

"I know, I... feel really bad. I need to lie down..." I slip out the dinning room, hearing my mother's concerned questions, and head for my room. My brother's sleeping anyways.

I punch my pillow, hate its softness, and punch my more firm mattress.

"Okay. Focus. We can still do this..."

I write down things to do.

 _Master Ninshuu. (The concept is really fascinating.)_

 _Get a head start of medical arts for Kanka, just to see what's in store for me._

 _Marui and academics. And the homework._

 _Karada's diplomatic homework and charisma practice._

 _Yashiro's 12 paged essay about economic policies before First War and after Second War from a month ago. Should really do the last two pages._

 _Nozonda's self-sufficiency homework number 405: raincoats. Bought materials, need to actually make it._

 _Draw in freetime?_

So glad Yashiro is too busy with the war to deal with me. Doesn't make my days less busy.

Itachi's schedule is more lenient than mine: a lesson with Karada, a monthly checkup with Kanka, normal toddler stuff. If they aren't pressuring him as much as me, my parents must really think I'm a good successor. I can't let them down.

.:

"Meeting is open," Koun states. "Topical issue of the day: Uchiha war effort. Begin the voice whenever ready."

Yashiro's placard is already up. "The delegate of the Uchiha Treasury would like to speak."

"Go ahead," Papa says, nodding slightly.

"We should tell Hokage-sama to provide Uchiha shinobi more field missions and less battle positions. Other than small consolation money for their deaths or discontinued service, we do not make much at all from helping the battlefront."

Kouba has his placard up high. "The delegate of Uchiha armed forces would like to speak."

"Go ahead."

"Even if we do not make money from it, is it not true that the war is damaging to us all? No good comes from this. Even though we suffer losses, we still bring ourselves a step closer to the end."

The Uchiha elites are arguing again, in their strict and superior way. Both bring up decent points, though. I find myself torn between two sides.

Papa, seeing this as well, intervenes. "If there is a disagreement, we'll open the floor to debate. Delegates, we'll open the list and speeches will begin promptly. A two minute speech limit should suffice."

It takes a moment for some delegates to be put on the list then, starting from Yashiro, the debates begin, one after another.

"—naturally, preservation of our clan comes first. You know the Leaf isn't too partial to our people."

"—we are still warrior born in the Leaf Village. We have a duty to the shinobi and villagers alike. We fight for their sake."

"—at the very least it may prove beneficial to reduce our participation slightly until we are able to handle ourselves."

I can't fathom how Papa can make decisions as these where it isn't a choice of morals or extremes but just the unfairness of reality. I think Itachi has me beat in this regard and I can't catch up. Compared to my pensive brother, I thrive more in combat. Good quality to have, but if I'm to be heir of my clan, I just may lead this place to certain doom.

After the speeches conclude, it's Papa's turn to speak. "I say we decrease Uchiha war efforts for a while. Perhaps the Leaf will see casualties and demand our help for high prices and better benefits. It has happened so in the past. We will solve our disabled shinobi and economic issues in one decision."

Since Papa rationed so logically and confidently, nearly everyone nods in agreement. By a vote, Papa's decision is rendered valid.

Impressive. I want to be like that some day. And not be manipulated by a medic-nin of all people.

We are the last ones to leave as the men begin to talk during their unmoderated caucus, sowing the seeds for votes next meeting. When the last man leaves, Papa grips his head and staggers.

"Papa!" I hold onto his waist until he no longer leans dangerously forward.

"I let it slip," he says, which doubles as an apology. "You should never remember me weak."

"You need a break," I say firmly.

"I cannot rest. By ordering that Uchiha forces be reduced, I've really made it so the most elite forces are called in the place of average men."

He doesn't elaborate further, but I got it. Elites don't go down as easily as average forces. And Papa is one of the best. I am going to see him even less than I already do.

"What if you die out there?" I try, to get him to see reason. "I definitely can't lead my clan like you."

Papa smiles at me, one full of weariness and challenge. "I will not die in this war."

.:

"Thank you," Itachi mumbles with his adorable baby accent. "Thank you," he repeats as he's handed another gift.

Our home only has 30 to 35 people inside. It's mainly girls, women, and boys as many teens and men are not at home right now. Like _my father_ who left two weeks ago. He took me fishing again and I knew there was something off. By the time noon came, he was gone.

It's quieter than my birthday party just three months prior. Though I like the aspect of talking to so many new Uchiha, my little brother wants to get away from them all.

I can definitely feel his tiredness as more and more people dazzle over his cuteness. He remains polite, using whatever words a two year old knows, but his chakra screams _help me_.

I decide to rescue my poor brother. "Look at how pale Itachan is! He needs a nap prompto!"

"What do you...?" Mama starts and sees his paleness too. "You're right. Itachi isn't the one for too much excitement."

I pick him up on my back and enjoy the small laugh that comes from Itachi. "Birthday boy is so very happy all of you made it, and he wants to show you there is still hope in this world. We shouldn't succumb to sadness. Not while we're still alive."

I leave the room hearing murmurs low enough to be unrecognizable. Then Mama comes in to save the day; her pleasant voice that entertains the guests can be heard down the hall to Itachi's room.

I lower Itachi into his crib and start his mobile. I had picked it out: several chibi ninja in the shapes of the Hokage, shuriken, and a puff a smoke that rotates. The song isn't classical music of my world, but classical music of this world featuring a choir of voices and instruments I've never heard before.

Yet my brother's eyes start to go unfocused.

"Aw, you really were tired. I just wanted to help you escape," I smile.

"Night-night, Tata," Itachi says, despite the sunshine through his windows.

I run my fingers through his downy locks. "Night, Itachi."

Later, Mama wakes me up, fully dressed in her Jounin attire and smelling like old iron. Her dark eyes are ever chilling.

"Protect Itachi. Protect this home. No matter what."

Her words go beyond a simple order. Is this crawling feeling up my spine Killing Intent? My mother wouldn't want to murder me — I sure hope not.

I am wide awake and saluting, no real reason to the gesture. "Yes, Mother. I will."

She flickers from existence, leaving a small pile of rose petals on my bedroom floor. Its vivid red is ugly against the blues and silvers of my room.

I get out of bed and roam my silent home. It's just _my brother and me_. I am completely _unprepared_.

The crescent moon takes its time in its arc across the sky. Every breeze and insect noise startles me. Eventually I head up to the attic and watch my home from the large window, knowing no one can see inside.

My nerves are pounding, pulling on my physical energy to keep from fatigue — and even that's limited due to my short sleep.

I get a break when, appearing from swirling leaves, is my Papa. He walks up the front entrance stairs and I dash from my spot to see him.

Once untangling myself from the storage closet, I jog into the main room and stop.

It's a trail of vivid red, ugly against the blues and silvers. _Mama_? But the person I saw did not wear a skirt.

I get closer and I realize the red _shines_ and _reflects_ whereas Mama's petals absorb light. Not good.

I follow the trail, to make sure my sleeping brother is as far as possible from this _person_. It leads into the kitchen — though the kitchen light behind the closed sliding door gives it away. The person uses the water for something. Using that noise, I slide open the door a little.

Oh, it _is_ Papa, though he looks _dead tired_ with a drag to his movements and lowered head. He faces his back to me, busy in the kitchen with _something_. His vest is dirty and carries brown stains. It's ripped in places. I think he's bleeding.

I look over at what he's doing —

I gasp, not meaning to, but my body is so horribly frightened like a baby.

From my angle, all I see are bruises and nothing major. A little blood here and there. Glittering onyx. He never completely shaved. It's the fact that the **thing** should not be **on a kitchen counter**. I **know** the **thing**. The **thing** should not be on **the kitchen counter**.

As a good ninja, Father gives me his full attention, dead silent. I know he can't really see me through this narrow crack and surrounding darkness, but he knows his son's voice, right?

I pry open the door so he can see me entirely.

"...it's late," I say, smiling, trying to be like Mama, feeling helpless in my thin pajamas while he wears a killer's uniform. "You should get to bed. You seem exhausted."

Father is silent, still, and I can't stand the ugly red of his blank eyes against the flush of his face. The red wants to tear through me.

"It's Itachi's birthday today. Rather, it was a few hours ago. It would mean a lot to say Happy Birthday to your son," I say, trying to remind Father of his **family**.

"Why are you awake, Takenaka?"

I jump a little. Papa went from nothing to speaking faster than I could see.

"Mikoto is gone right now, so your wife had to put your son, Takenaka, in charge of watching his brother, Itachi."

 _We are a family_.

"I ordered there'd be a reduction of Uchiha installments," he says, not to me at all.

"Perhaps Mikoto is still in the Leaf Village. Maybe your wife is at the hospital." _You don't seem too hot. Go to the hospital._

He stares back. His expression is down the drain. I'd rather his trademark frown than this nothingness.

Then Father tenses his muscles and I take back what I thought.

"Father — "

"I hate your eyes."

— and he lunges for me, languidly, but I bolt out of there and gun it to Itachi's crib. He immediately wakes up after I seize him so abruptly.

"Tata?" whimpers my brother.

I don't even reply. I leave the room to see my father walking up the hallway, body practically leaking physical energy to _most likely_ hurt me with. I turn and run to the stairs, aiming for the hidden compartment in my room.

I'm halfway up, barely panting, thank _Pain_ I trained in running, and I hear Fugaku's loud step at the bottom.

"Why are you running to your room, Takenaka?"

His words shake me. Itachi makes a startled noise, possibly confused at the tone Fugaku takes.

"If you really want to flee me, you've missed the front door."

I hit the top step and dart left, maneuvering around the rooms to the _dragon_.

The dragon wasn't closed. I can see the compartment just under my bed.

"Why are you running to your room?"

Fugaku's voice has no emotion, no fatherly love. It's preferable anyway. I wouldn't want to face a voice that kicks my feet under and sends me sprawling awkwardly to protect my brother. I thud against the bed frame closest to my room's entrance, feeling the blossoming pain from my spine and shins.

Fugaku is in my room. I see the ugly red focused solely on me.

"What do you plan to do next? You're cornered. Why did my son run to his room?"

"Why do you even _care_?" is what I want to say, but I'm terrified and confused and trying desperately to outsmart a super-powered maniac.

"I hate your eyes," Fugaku repeats. Out of the apron below his jacket, he takes out a small dagger decorated with brown stains.

This is Sasuke versus Itachi levels of BS.

"You're gonna take my eyes out?" I blurt. "Why would you hurt your son, Fugaku?"

I don't even have Sharingan — not from this insanity! My father wasn't this crazy two weeks ago!

"I will not remove your eyes," but he gets closer with the dagger at hand.

"Put the weapon _away_ , Fugaku — "

"Tata," Itachi murmurs, trembling, "I'm scared."

Fugaku says he won't do anything fishy but he still tightens his grip and prepares to strike down at me.

At the same time, I roll back and under my bed, momentarily releasing Itachi to search for the hidden compartment.

"Mama!" Itachi whines.

I look and see Mama's feet where we once were, with petals decorating the floor.

"—Fugaku, listen!"

"Stop interrupting me, woman."

"Please, let's all go to sleep and forget this. _Fugaku_!"

I grab my brother and head through the compartment. It's dark and hot from the June heat but I make my way onto the rooftop.

The dawn is red. It's _red_.

"Mama, Papa," Itachi sobs. "I'm scared... Tata... I'm scared — "

"I have to protect you. Mama said I have to protect you," is the only coherent thing I can think of saying.

Getting off the roof is tricky for a no-ninja like me. I leap into the nearest tree and try to shimmy down it with a brother on my back. Before long, we're on sweet ground and, from the outside, my home is peaceful.

I run away.

Somewhere. Anywhere. With people. Someone who can hold back my father.

I'm nearing the outer part of the compound before I stop to breathe. Itachi is silently crying. I try to wipe away his thick tears and can think of nothing reassuring to say.

"Takenaka Uchiha."

I suck in a quick breath and lean against the black shadow of this home's wall, hoping I could blend into it.

And just my luck, Fugaku _appears_ before me.

How great of a sensor is _he_?

Mama? What about my _mother_?

How'd I screw up this timeline? Obito can't even save me now, not while he's in his third month of rehabilitation.

— fate hates our birthdays.

"I see your plan now," Fugaku says. His uniform is still dirty so I can't even see the result of his spar. "But what next? You're defenseless and weak."

 _I'm four and you're probably thirty-four; the hell can I do?_

"I'm Takenaka," I tell him, having an idea to distract the man. "I was named after Takenaka Uchiha, the man who lead the Uchiha Clan before Fugaku Uchiha took over. I'll be two _more_ deaths on your hands."

Fugaku visibly hesitates and I run.

I still don't have a plan other than make it to the gate. Fugaku posts a Force member at every entrance. I need to make it to one and then they'll deal with how insane their leader is being.

My steps are so loud in my silent neighborhood. I turn the corner and see two guards at the gate, facing away from me. Their emblems are worn proudly on their backs. I push whatever energy I have left into my legs and finish the final stretch.

"Hey! Help us!"

They don't look around. My shout is deafening. But they don't budge?

I stop running.

I _pay attention_. The sun hasn't moved. I'd been running for minutes now. There's no crows squawking in the distance. No sounds of nature waking up.

I look at my brother and find a doll in its place.

" _Itachi_!"

I _failed_ Mama. I couldn't protect my home. Not even my brother. This place I'm stuck in can't even be reality.

I cover my eyes in shame, allowing the doll to fall to the ground.

"Takenaka."

"Just kill me," I say to the voice behind me. "That's what you want. You hurt everyone else I love. So just add me to the list. Maybe kill yourself so you can meet Mr. Hakushi, too."

 _Four years_. _Four_ years to live as a superhero, basically, and my father goes crazy and kills me. **Well done**.

"I don't want to kill you, Takenaka. That wasn't my intention."

I slowly turn to see Fugaku's eyes now a normal, matured Sharingan.

"I lost myself," Fugaku says, expression blank. _Creepy_. I can't detect any trace of emotion. It's like he's watching this whole _nonsense_ like it's a cheap, slasher film. "The power of these eyes — I had to test you, my son. But I hate those eyes of yours. They're just like Hakushi's. You were afraid of me. Don't — "

Now I can't predict him at all. I throw a shot in the dark: "Papa? Are you really there?"

— the hell?

Why does my head hurt?

The sun hates me, I swear. It drills into my skull and provokes every pain in my body. I sit up, rubbing at my eyes.

My feet step on something velvety as I head downstairs to Itachi's room.

My brother rests deeply, small face contorted slightly. I think against using Ninshuu for a potential nightmare.

The dining room is empty so I head for the kitchen, hoping for something to eat. There's a horrible ache in my gut that won't go away.

The kitchen smells bad: copious amounts of soap, water, and metal. Mama and Papa are in here, in deep discussion until my entrance. My parents wear off duty clothes, though, so maybe they came back from a brief mission.

"Takenaka," Mama calls and rushes to my side. She goes to touch the side of my head. "Are you alright, dear?"

 _Weird_. "I'm alright. Little tired. What's wrong, Mama?"

Her doe eyes are ready to break.

Mama smiles reassuringly. "There was a training accident. We were worried for your sake, Takenaka."

"Oh." What did I do? How badly could I have pushed myself to screw up? And so shortly after Itachi's birthday? I'm a fool. "I'm sorry I worried you, Mama, Papa."

Papa is silent and his frown is deep. I can see the pain he fails to hide. For me to read him like this... he's swimming in angst right now.

"Takenaka," and he coughs. "Takenaka, Hakushi... is dead."

His _brother_. His close friend. I thought of him as kinda cool, kinda annoying with his drunk schemes. But he's dead and dear to Papa. Papa's hurting badly.

"I — we need to lay flowers on his grave," I search, to say the words Papa's pride forbids. "Hold a funeral service. We have to respect Hakushi's... passing."

Mama looks away.

Papa breathes in slowly. "We've done that already. Your memory is faulty. A simple amnesia, really."

"Oh..." What did I do? Did I push too hard with Papa's challenges? Did I go too far into my core again?

"I've been thinking," Papa begins, staring at the cup clutched in his quivering fist, "you need to be better protected, now that your godparent is gone."

"Papa, if it hurts, please don't — " Mama's look hushes me.

"You..." he grits, "...you need to be better able to defend for yourself. I need to make my son a warrior. So I thought it would be for the best you come along with me to war."

.: **ONE END** :.

* * *

Was writing the suppression scene with "Shooting Stars" playing in the background and _Antman_ on my mind. That in no way, shape, or form influenced the writing whatsoever.

Also, wiki quote for Fugaku: " _During the Third Shinobi World War, a dear friend of Fugaku died in battle, allowing him to awaken the_ _ **ultra hax**_ _..._ " or something like that. _Lololo..._

I _promise_ I won't make any more characters whose sole purpose is to die.

Edit:

Anybody who's grown up in Japan will tell you that a parent teaches their child Mama and Papa, similar to Mama and Dada in English/America. Some people might teach their kid Mom or Dad really young, but even my six-year-old brother still uses Mama and Dada. The name simply stuck.

Yes, he knows the "adult" terms for parents, but, don't forget, he's FOUR and LEARNING Japanese for the first time!

Heck, there's a huge difference in knowing how to read Japanese and how to speak it! I can read basic novels in full Japanese, but speaking it? It's not the best, especially the letter + ya/u/o combos...

(Souryuuken! Hyakuman! Gyugyugyu! Nyaan!)

Realistically speaking, it's way easier to construct Japanese sentences as a child with Mama and Papa then, say, Otou-san or Kaa-chan. But Takenaka has already switched from Papa to Tou-san a few times.

As someone who's studying for a minor in Japanese linguistics, children like easy sentences like "Mama, taberu?" or "Papa, saru to ka, taiga to ka, miru?" And due to language interpretations, these sentences can be translated as very complex or simple.

(Mama, eat? or Mama, can I eat? Mama, do we eat?)

(Papa, monkey, tiger, see it? or Papa, can I see monkeys or tigers?)

If I were to write this entire story in Japanese, the oh-so complicated sentences Takenaka speaks are actually rather simple in Japanese. Usually.

Programs like Google Translate directly translate every word when, in reality, Japanese drops more words than English and can convey highly complicated topics due to Japanese's key difference from English:

Japanese pronounces more syllables than English. Can we eat?, a 3 syllable word, turns into Tabemashou? Or Tabemashou ka. which is WAY more sounds to pronounce and takes longer.

English, we can say: I like cats! In a second with 3 syllables.

Japanese has: Neko ga suki! Which already contains two words with two syllables which lengthens the time of the sentence spoken! To make it the same rate as English, it's acceptable to drop words! Neko, suki!

See haiku for example!

Long story short, this story is, at its heart, influenced by Japanese culture as explained through the eyes of a Westerner!

\- 4 Jan 2018


	5. ZERO: TWO

**Possible trigger warning. Nothing is too graphic but it's not rainbows and sunshine.**

.

.

.

 **A Measure of Darkness**

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." Reincarnation!OC

— Robert Frost, _Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening_

* * *

 **TWO**

 _ **A Measure of Darkness**_

 _The Years Before Acade_ _my — War and Remedy_

* * *

Now facing war deployment as a _four-year-old_ , I suddenly remember that Itachi had to _also_ endure this torture. _I don't know_ if my existence prevents him from experiencing this or delays it. _I don't want_ to entertain the thought of my brother on a field of dying men. If it's me, it's okay. I think I can handle this.

"Papa... why are you saying this?" I drop all pretense of being an advanced child and play to my parent's emotions.

I'll admit my knowledge has been going due to my guzzling of this world's knowledge and etiquettes and people. It's already impossible to remember something I read vividly four years ago with no inaccuracies. I just tell myself every morning of the Uchiha Massacre, of Danzou's schemes, of Orochimaru's traps, and the abilities of Itachi and Sasuke.

And I think that if I become a versatile ninja, I'll be able to react to plot events I may or may not have forgotten.

But I _do_ pride myself with my impressive memory, which is why I enthused in history. I have no doubt that though I may forget, key events will remind me.

Just like now.

"You are still weak, my son," Papa monotones, adding the _my son_ with some kind of hidden intent. "In a few years, you _will_ be a ninja like your father, and unless the war comes to a close, the reality of shinobi will not change, the world you are about to step in is only the tip of it."

 _I hate those words. A papa should never say that..._

Did Itachi fight back? Did he hesitate?

"But, Papa, I've already hurt myself in training. To trust me on the battlefield is too much! I need to do more to earn your respect!"

He closes his eyes and turns away. "It is done, Takenaka. This is the world a ninja must live in."

I don't really have a choice. I plead to my mother who stays silent. She's not as submissive as she likes to pretend. I feel that the two had a bad argument and she lost. But my parents never fight. As shinobi, they can easily hide their emotions.

Why are they being so overly sensitive right now?

Why are they coddling me, shortly before throwing me into the fire?

I tear away from Mother and head to Itachi's room. If they were going to screw me over like this, I don't want them lying to Itachi. _Big brother will return soon from his trip. He'll be alright._

Itachi opens his eyes, so dull, and his gaze latches onto me. "Tata..."

"Hey, Itachan," I smile.

He quickly gets to his feet. "Tata! Mama and Papa are okay?"

How perceptive is he? I shake my head. "Yes, they're fine, why are you saying that, Itachan?"

Itachi's frown sinks deeper. "Are Tata okay?"

"I'm fine. Stop worrying about things that don't make sense!" I smile despite my worry.

My little brother isn't convinced at all. But I get a chance to play with him and tell stories of great families shortly before my father enters the room, wearing his Jounin uniform, a stuffed messenger bag resting on his hip.

"Takenaka, put proper clothes on," he says. "We'll be leaving shortly."

I swallow as he leaves and have to look at Itachi's wide and terrified eyes.

"Tata will come home. He won't leave you," I say. "But if your brother does, promise me you won't be scared to fight for what's right, Itachi."

He winces at his unfamiliar name coming out my mouth. "Tata..."

.:

Our endpoint is Kanegasaki, located in the Land of Earth, one of the closer villages to the Land of Fire. It is a two day trip with Papa's Body Flicker Technique. Once there, I see the Third War for my own eyes, like I'd been dreading.

Papa filled me in with unclassified information, probably to alleviate my dread and angry silence. Currently the Leaf is trying to subdue a large village by the name of Kanegasaki. It's connected to a river that can travel straight to the heart of the Land of Fire where the Fire Daimyou — a "daimyou" being the ultimate boss of the Five Great Nations, a bridge between shinobi and villagers — lives. The Kanegasaki Transit, used to travel goods quickly from Earth to Fire, had became a key transportation for mobilizing Earth shinobi. After months of effort, Fire is _this_ close to shutting Kanegasaki's river down for good.

The Leaf made camp on the south side of the river while Earth held northwest and above. The Earth force is closer to Earth hidden villages, needing less than a day's travel to reinforce their squad while we have a two to four day disadvantage. As a result, the Leaf is trying their best to infiltrate Earth shinobi forces and keep word for reinforcements from making it back to their home village.

Papa flat out told me, "We're here to kill every last shinobi."

This battle has no general. No man felt this required any complex strategy. It's simple, isn't it? Finish a job that's almost complete. Dozens of generals were used for the Leaf to even make it this far.

So Papa is able to cart me around — a child — and no ally ninja cares. They are either dead, dying, insane, or impassive.

Papa sets me on the bleeding earth on Kanegasaki's outskirts, a distance away from Earth shinobi versus vaguely recognizable Leaf shinobi in combat. "Stay here."

I have a front row seat to my father overwhelming the far outclassed men. The enemy are skilled, but Father has sheer power. The Sharingan predicts their movements and his fire engulfs the men in flames.

River-cooled summer winds blow the smell of burning men.

Father lands at my side silently. His red shines as bright as the flames behind him. "Takenaka, you must never forget what you see. I know you are clever. Understand this reality..."

He hesitates. I don't know what face I make, but it is enough to make him choke on his words momentarily.

 _Itachi can't ever see this. Not again_. My fists shake at my sides, just as much as my voice. "I _don't_ understand this reality or why I'm seeing this. Please, tell me, _why_ have you brought me here?"

I bit my tongue to keep from shouting. If enemies hear us, Father will be preoccupied by dealing with them and may slip away. I can predict that much of his personality.

His gaze then narrows, maybe mocking me for not understanding quickly, maybe upset with my tone.

"You are the Uchiha heir. You have to walk the way of ninja. Abandon the mindset of becoming a shinobi as a game or a chance to be Hokage. This is a serious profession, one full of violence, hatred, and greed. You must _understand_ and never forget the true meaning of ninja. I want you to remember this day, Takenaka."

 _No way..._

His explanation _is_ familiar to me. I read it before. The era of endless war, a poetical description for the Warring States Period.

" _Families who actively participated in the war taught children from the early age of two how to fight. Children grew up surrounded in violence such as participating in small battles, retrieving and dissecting corpses for anatomy information, and even learning suicide techniques if caught by the enemy. ... These children of war grew up to become wizened shinobi of the Hidden Leaf: smart enough to ignore temptations, observant enough to make objective conclusions of the world, and reclusive enough to understand their faults as a human._ "

He is copying precedents. He shows me this because he must understand what it means to be a _real_ ninja. If that is the case... then Father's (future) anger about not even being a choice for Fourth Hokage isn't arrogance. In his own way, he _has_ the maturity required to be a Hokage.

But, similarly Obito, no one can see that deep down inside.

No one can see his wisdom. Father is like Kakashi. Whereas the latter preferred rules and regulations, my father is stuck in old, traditional ways. He is resistant to change, a trait so many villagers (I included) expect from Hokage. Maybe that is why he could not agree with Itachi's village over clan ideal — that is why my family died —

I have misunderstood you, Fugaku.

I can only drop my head in shame because, really, it was obvious all along.

—but just because it worked in the past doesn't mean it's _right_.Don't you _see_?

Father vanishes, leaves drifting down in his place. I see him, further up in the road, and chase after him. The very first building on the village's outskirts is a few steps away. Being this close allows me to see the explosions going off everywhere. The vibrations jostle my small body, makes me nauseous.

All around me are the muffled and hoarse shouts of Leaf shinobi — "...Explosion Corps! Get to high ground! Somebody call in the long range assist squad!"

The river that flows into Kanegasaki may have once been beautiful. But it is long deserted. It is tarnished with the blood and ends of many.

Kanegasaki burns.

The smell of smoke _won't leave_. The taste _won't fade_.

The smoke threatens to hide the afternoon sun.

Everyone... everywhere... attacks. Some ninja are smart enough to get a few good hits in before dying. Some ninja have obviously lost it and strike with desperation, killing themselves in the progress.

One, pale as clouds man _runs_ — a Leaf shinobi — and ignores his comrades' urging to return to safety. He runs and runs so, so _sloppily_. I think he no longer has control of his body.

He runs straight into his death.

—my heart is painful. I have never — never felt it beat this fast before. My hands shiver in time with the _bebeabeat_ , my legs (my walking) is only slightly better.

This is really _real_ , isn't it?

It reminds me of every war story my uncle and grandpa told me as a child — _tried to_ , before the trauma replayed over and over in their minds and their bodies locked up.

 _Damn. I'm not gonna... not gonna die_ —

Another boom bursts from the distance. I topple hard onto my knees. A touch reveals tender skin and more red. Just a thin layer, like morning dew.

While I struggle to get back on my feet as my peripheral turns black, a man appears from nowhere and crouches next to me, blowing a gust of hot air. I see his apron.

"Stand. You don't wish to be caught unaware."

He wouldn't _really_ put me in danger, huh? I feel safe, like my blankets are surrounding me and my body rests on my mattress.

"—don't understand what's happening," I mumble, abandoning my effort to stand. Instead I look into black, wintery eyes darting from me to the village. "It's — it's _chaos_. How can you see _anything_ clearly?"

"Experience," Father states, every ounce of weariness from time in his voice. A tone so haunting I imagine it coming from my voice, when I'm 20 or 30, after I've seen the end and back.

I grab onto the white diamond of Father's apron, my kind of sun. It's too bad my grip stains this sun red, too. "It's incredible how people can just kill like this... all because of an order. I feel like I'm no different. If you told me to kill an enemy, I just might do it..."

He had kept his gaze on a burning building and looks at me briefly. I don't think he heard me at all. I breathe in to repeat myself.

But I stop involuntarily, gritting my teeth at the frosty hand grabbing my wrist and shaking off my grasp. "In the world we live in, there may be countless wars, perhaps the Third War will never end, perhaps fourth or fifth wars will become a reality. Regardless, I have wanted to show you this for a long time. Do you see? Strangers killing strangers. War is a battle of ideals and the people who believe in them. Only in war can we see how simple the world of a ninja is.

"But do you _understand_ why I show this to you?"

I nod.

"Violence is the ultimate reality and truth of ninja."

I get a nod in response.

Father is moving again and I follow (the first attempt sending black spots to my vision, the next attempt being _inelegant_ at best). Up ahead I see other shinobi in combat, some overwhelmed by the sudden swarm of rocks jutting from once levelled ground, some exacting immediate revenge for the behalf of fallen comrades.

All I see are the ends of many. Every person, who's lived on this world for decades more than me, dying in such a place as this.

And my father is responsible for some deaths. He ends lives without mercy, me staggering behind him.

We head closer to the heart of Kanegasaki in what feels like centuries.

"—they're falling back!" a voice rips through the air behind me, sending my body into a fit of shivers.

"—attack the center! Every shinobi. _Don't give up_!" Another man is interrupted.

The explosion is like a super charged Fireball Technique. The heat hurts. I fall on the ground due to the pressure whipping through the air, the pressure that collapsing already weak buildings and sending up pillars of smoke and ash. For a brief second before I fell, I see Father only flinch under the power.

The ground hurts. Pieces of rubble cut me. I land face first, tasting dry and bitter dirt, frantically trying to get the taste out my mouth — this taste of iron and decay. I see the dripping red on my hands and arms but feel nothing at all.

Feet are running past me. I look back.

Heading into Kanegasaki's heart are hundreds of Leaf shinobi who disregard me entirely. To them, their service must be nearing the end. Just _one_ last battle. Make Kanegasaki _fall_.

Turning my attention forward, everything near me burns. I see the red and brown of Earth shinobi. It's hard to tell the difference between the living and dead.

—I stand up and it's _easy?_. The drumming in my chest is less acute. Somehow... I can't care about danger around me. So long as I'm safe, nothing really matters, huh?

Like that, the fire that makes me cough, the fire that burns closer and closer to me, I can't really feel anything.

"—a child! A child! Capture the child! Use as leverage — " a ninja gets cut off in death but I'm certain others heard it.

I am _not_ dying. No way. I don't even see my father anymore.

Quickly I gather the energy of the fire in my surroundings, wincing at the perverted, artificial nature of it. It fights against my attempts but succumbs to my will in time. It all mixes together and becomes apart of me, filling up my core with some sort of heated slime sensation. I stop when I feel I can't take another ounce of fire.

The weight in my core will not allow me to stand. This energy is lead within me.

" _Takenaka_."

Father's distant yell jerks me from my reverie.

An Earth shinobi with a fuuma shuriken stuck in his back stumbles toward me. His eyes are the only lucid thing about him, as he urges numb fingers into hand seals.

—he's so slow — _nooo, everything is slow_ — I can't hear anything but my long inhale —

My hands go through six seals I had practiced on for _months_. It starts and ends with the Tiger Seal.

 **Fire Release: Fireball Technique.**

I twisted only this tainted energy within me, summon the perverted energy to my mouth where it sears my tongue, and it bursts from my lips as **fire**.

I only see a pure wall of blue — teal? cyan? — energy. It tries to be fire. It burns and eats just like it. It sears my eyes and heats up my flesh. It lacks the characteristic spherical shape because I have not begun shape transformation practice. Still, the mimic acts just like the real deal.

Everything the fire touched is dark earth and small blue flames still remain on charred earth, on barely standing buildings near me. The man who tried to kill or kidnap me is gone. He is nowhere in the vicinity. I couldn't have incinerated him because the fuuma shuriken would remain.

Whatever. My mouth is sore. Like I have bit into a cupcake with razor blades inside. Running my tongue over the aches only makes the pain more intense and bring tears to my eyes.

In the end, I did it. I did my first _ninjutsu_. Where is the fanfare? Cake and wine? I stand on this blackened earth ready to give up. Shouldn't I be happy?

I can do it a hundred times. A thousand! Into my body does more fire energy go. My hands are aching to repeat the six seals once again.

Then it rains red.

Every spot the red hits bursts into more flames. More fire to feed from. And this energy feels so much more lighter and purer. I harness this fire and find I can fill myself with a larger quantity.

"—wave three. Aim. _Fire_."

More arrows fall. Some are blocked by well placed earth walls. Some shinobi sink deep into the ground.

"Hey, kid, don't stop! Keep burning!" Some man shouts at me in the distance. My ally. "You're scaring them! Keep _burning_!"

I do not want to think. I just do as I am told.

Kanegasaki goes up and orange and blue flames. The smoke lasts all evening, all night. I do not dare rest. I do not think I can sleep — not just because it is not safe. The potential _nightmares_ seem endless.

Some time deep into night, some point when my mouth is numb and heavy, I begin to realize the battle is cooling off. The enemy is severely crippled, the explosions have stopped almost entirely, more shinobi advance without having seen a battle in ages.

It gets progressively quiet. It's somewhat awkward. We've got free time to understand what _hell_ just happened and that we have killed a bunch of strangers all because of our Daimyou's orders to war. Nobody nobody nobody can meet each other's eyes.

Dawn comes with her milky sky and the absolute silence of diurnal animals, other than large birds waiting to eat corpses circling in the distance.

My mouth will not open at all. I drop to my knees and cough out the smoke through my nose and through the small cracks my mouth allows. I _need to use the bathroom._ But if I die, I do not want _that_ to be the way I go. I'm _starving_ , but just thinking of Mama's food almost makes me gag. Even the thought of drinking water feels like a chore.

(But I _do_ see some men relieving themselves. They _can_ defend themselves way better than me, though.)

The air is almost too relaxed.

"Shinobi of the Land of Fire!"

A hoarse voice echoes. It belongs to my father, fully matured Sharingan blazing, arms crossed over his lightly battered vest as if nothing is the matter, _notatall_.

"There are no more enemies. We've conducted a full sweep of the area and its surroundings," he continues, gaze panning left to right. "As a result, we can safely say that this battle is won. Kanegasaki has fallen."

Nothing but cheers. Or... really just shouting. _Something_ to release the pent up emotions within us.

I just feel like sleeping. The ground is soft and powdery. Gray snow...

Some hand grabs me by my collar, though, before I stupidly lie on the ash-covered ground and nap.

"Not now. This isn't the place to rest, Takenaka."

Soft, damp hair is smushed under my cheek. The smell of sweat and dirt makes my nose ache. Then there's rocking and the loud sound of heavy steps on dry, crunchy ground.

Ambiance is heard but not listened to as I slip further into my own mind...

"— _Fugaku_ -sama? What're you doing _here_? And a child, too?"

His voice vibrates against my ear, returning me back to reality when I was at the _cusp_ of dreams and darkness:

"He was certainly helpful, if you missed his massive trial of blue flames."

"That was _him_? But — but how could a child have that much energy to keep repeating...?"

He _hmm_ s in acknowledgement. "At any rate, I need to seek medical attention. He may have burned himself severely."

"O-Okay. Tell him when he wakes up..."

I'm lucky.

I don't dream of anything.

I think?

I _do_ remember dreaming about my father smiling at me, mumbling, "Well done, my son. You're becoming a fine ninja."

Such a random dream. I don't _want_ approval for being a killer at _four_.

But my mind and body is numb and cold.

Numb. And. Cold.

.:

This isn't my room. Not one bit.

I definitely don't have a green nightlight.

This bed is too low to the ground. It takes more effort to get to my feet rather than sliding to them. Under my bandaged feet, I can just feel the irregular ground underneath the cloth.

 _Smoke. Smoke. Smoke._ I haven't left yet. I start to cough, which ends up burning my nose as my mouth is locked up tight.

Oh, _this_ is chakra on my face; the energy surrounds my mouth with cool air.

Water is rushing downstream and my mouth becomes unbearably dry. It feels as though my bodyweight has traveled up and into my pounding head.

 _I need help_. So I grope for the flap that'll open this tent and step outside.

There are shinobi hauling pounds of weapons to be thrown into a giant hole. On the backs of some are white, human-sized bags that are dropped off into a tent further away. Under a pavilion, medics nurse wounded shinobi in crowded conditions.

Kanegasaki's river is pinkish now. It's _probably_ not the best place for water. I could ask someone, but I'm sure they'll lead me back into my bed where I can spend hours of staring at forest green fabric.

 _Brown?_

My eyes are searching for the moving speck of brown from the corner of my sight. A small animal disappears behind rocks.

Animals know where to find water, don't they? With that, I race over to where it was, just a short distance from camp, and turn. The rocky ground tapers off to a small pond unaffected by the battle. Its water is as clear as the sky.

I fall to my knees before it and scoop the chilled water with two hands. I try to fit the water in the small cracks of my mouth, and am glad that the chakra doesn't stop me from tasting a few millimeters of cool liquid.

That doesn't last long. Maybe it's the noise I made. Maybe that's why the animal returns, hooves splashing in the water, eyes wild.

It is a deer.

It snorts stamps the ground. It leans dangerously left and right as all its energy is put inside every movement. I start to slowly lean away as I see the deer's flesh shaking from the force.

My heart is beating hard, though not as hard as yesterday, and it's as if time is drowsy.

The deer is wounded. I'm talking about burns on its legs and rear to the point where I can see bone and flying insects scuttling on the meat. The rest of its body has dark brown scratches too rich for me to call it something like dull mud and dirt. Its antlers are halfway broken.

That's _no fair_. Why is a deer hurt? It certainly didn't ask to be apart of this war.

But I can't dwell on the thought. This deer is hurting and I have probably wandered into its territory. The deer could be gearing up to murder me. On the other hand, if I escape, there will be a deer left to slowly die.

 _Doing nothing's the worst option, at least_ , and I focus.

I concentrate on my spiralling physical and spiritual energies. Knowing animals can't speak, I can only resort to implanting my will into the energy and hope it works. It worked on my ball of _metaphysical metaphysics_ — if all that _wasn't_ a severe hallucinogenic trip.

As I've discovered before, maybe at two or three, animals usually have very unrefined chakra. But it exists. Kaguya ate from the _tree_ , humans inherited energy, humans die, the environment inherits that energy, ergo animals themselves have energy. It is a minor theory in Ninshuu, just a small section of interconnection beyond humans. Though it doesn't mention animal connection, just with nature.

Let's give it a shot.

It's easy to latch onto the deer's thin chakra (the deer then begins to bite the air) though it feels wrong. It's so... simple... impulsive... yet it has memories, albeit very scattered and, to a human, not at all notable. To this deer, somehow eating sweet berries or nipping at a ground rainbow formed by rain falling from a cloudless sky... unforgettable. It remembers the smell of water: crisp and golden. And —

I force myself not too fall too far in. What if I became a _deer_?

Maybe I'm being paranoid, but this world is just that weird!

Carefully I begin to transmit my own chakra surrounded in pleasant warmth of some things I like. I blend my joy with the deer's joy and, opening my eyes, I see the deer stares blankly. Serene.

I stand up, still feeling our connection though less intensely, and reach out my fingers — they're shaking so badly? since when? — and touch its head.

Its chakra, the passionate and impulse side that is the beginning of physical energy, spikes but calms.

And so I pat its head.

 _Good deer, good deer. Ain't gonna hurt you..._

I resume my drinking and the deer watches until I finish. Then it stumbles and walks off. I haven't cut off its connection yet, so I follow.

It walks down a rocky hill and makes a right at a deep hole, probably formed by an earthquake. I barely see it: browns that blend against the rocks surrounding it. The brown rises and falls in an unmistakable breathing pattern. The adult deer has a protective pang.

 _Baby deer_. Their mother or father is going to die shortly, leaving children behind. Unlike the parent, they seem much more well, if a bit subdued by my presence.

The parent disregards the children and lies down. Everything about its energy is sluggish.

 _How long have you been dying?_

The two deer curl up next to each other and start to sleep.

I crouch next to the adult, patting the small areas of undamaged skin. _You're not doing too hot. You're suffering. You can't live long at this rate._

For the first time its eyes clearly reflect the image of me: a pale, lanky boy with a glowing mouth and too many bandages.

 _It's okay, now. I've got your kids. Just rest. Rest for once..._

I don't use my words of course. The adult releases a deep breath.

 _It's okay. You won't miss anything. Let's just sleep here, alright?_

Its chakra starts to become more and more undetectable. The connection cuts out and I'm left feeling vulnerable without the deer's presence in my mind. Did I screw up? Why did the Ninshuu stop? I try to reconnect but the energy is too weak to connect to.

As it begins to relax more and more... I replace my dumbfounded look with shock.

 _Oh. You're dying. You're really dying..._

Its body relaxes too far, even beyond sleep. There is absolutely no tension to its muscles. As its eyes roll in the back of its head and its tongue falls on the rocks, I realize that its children have no parents. They sleep, snoring slightly, unaware of their parent's death.

 _Naruto_ —

All I can see is Naruto's newborn, scrunched up face as his parents die a few centimeters away.

Naturally I return with the two animals in tow.

And of course my father sees me first, with anger in eyes fueled by worry. "Where have you _been_?" He must have been busy; I think he'd be able to find me no matter what happened.

I can't talk so I hold the babies higher. He looks at them for the first time.

" _Why_ are you carrying fawns?"

I point to him and drag my finger across my throat.

"Their father died? Did you kill it? Was it trying to kill you?"

Two nods and one shake of the head.

"...I see."

I look at the fawns and pout exaggeratedly.

"We can't keep them," he guesses. "They are fawns of the Land of Earth. It's unfortunate their father died, however I'm sure the fawns can take good care of themselves."

I point to their minor wounds and frown more.

"Takenaka..."

Clasping my hands together as best I can, I beg.

His eyebrow goes up in amusement. "They... can be healed if the medics will allow it. Now will you sleep? You're injured. I don't need your mouth getting infected."

I give him the fawns and walk back to my tent where I drop into the bed.

Sleep hits me almost instantly.

It's Itachi and me, drawing horrible pictures but having fun. Itachi's chubby hands are more deft than mine, as his scribbles look like contemporary art whereas mine looks like garbage. And we look up.

And it's our father.

Dead.

.:

"Such a shame," ticks the cookie-smelling nurse as she retracts her glowing hands. "You probably won't be able to talk for a while. Eating is downright impossible. Your only choice is drinking — and even that'll be painful."

Making a smile throbs. I get to wear a mask for my stay, not like Obito's, but a simple surgical mask. Though I suffer no wounds on my face, my mouth could have it better.

As for now, I get to practice my drawing skills with my pencil and paper. It should be used for communication, but, I'm bored and not allowed to have any visitors yet. Not while the threat of infection still lingers.

"Use this seal to call a nurse," she tells me, placing a thin paper in my hands with the Kanji of _to yell_ on it. "Blood or chakra works fine. We nurses will be around thrice a day with sustenance and twice more to do checkups on you, okay, Takenaka?" Her _Takenaka-san_ is sweet and loving as a mother's voice.

I give her a thumbs up. Even a nod is too much.

She leaves me alone to myself, in this room. It's bigger than Obito's. I'm glad I get a solo hospital room 'stead the countless of shared rooms I see. The bed is cozy enough, but the mattress isn't entirely cotton. Whenever I move, it makes the most annoying sounds possible, like leather car seats. A small window is to my right, revealing strawberry walls and the hospital gate in the distance. I can barely just see another hospital building in the back. To my left is my customary bed table, equipped with a lamp and, now, my call seal — as I call it.

I stare at the ceiling, sinking into this deep pillow, watching as the sunset gradually shrouds the bluish-white into darkness. What can I do? I've got no annoying monitor beeping next to me. At least in my old world I could stare at that fascinatedly. But, in this world, rather make fascinating technology, they decide to use just chakra. Chakra to monitor all my vitals with, a Byakugan for x-rays — probably MRIs and CT scans too, huh? — chakra to restore my body when medications are too slow or don't work. One doctor/surgeon/medic-nin used some kind of medical-ninjutsu to dull my nerves to pain. ("Make sure you don't try _anything_ ," he kept telling me. "You can't feel pain so you don't know your limits as well as you think you do.")

I'm supposed to learn all this because of Kanka? Though... can't really complain. A shinobi's lifestyle is probably the same: lots of rules and facts.

Hours are spent in boredom. It's only as bad as it is due to the three day trip it took to get back home. Naturally, my father realized I was suffering an infection along the way, so he gave me to Mama (who then had a mini heart attack) and then spoke to the Hokage about Kanegasaki.

Mama kept details vague. "Just a terrible training accident my boy kept hidden," she lied. I wonder if a doctor could see through that? Just by examining my body? Could Mama pay the doctor for silence?

I can't do much but draw and try small chakra experiments. (The seals attached to my arms and chest strictly limit the amount of activity going within me, so it feels like the body of my two-year-old self now.)

Oh and I can think. Think in this stupid empty h/cell.

That fire I did wasn't completely fire. My chakra had not changed. Rather I just reused energy I absorbed. There was never any nature transformation taking at place at all. I cheated and that's why my fire, though blue, acted just like the real deal. I absorbed all the potential energy of a fire and released it with my chakra.

Kanka's theory is flawed. That means my system is truly incapable of nature transformation. Never can my system create the burn of fire despite my affinity. It needs a catalyst. That would also mean any other element I could use had to be absorbed first.

So Earth Release? How can I absorb a rock? Impossible.

Lightning Release? Possible. Though too dangerous to even attempt.

Water Release? How can I absorb water? Also impossible.

Wind Release? I have no clue. Like fire, wind is mostly an energy. It's possible, but I have no idea how to turn absorbed wind into the cutting force many shinobi use it as.

My career in ninjutsu is fading fast. I really don't want to be forced into a medic-nin career. Not with _Kanka_.

My only other hope for success is taijutsu, but even I doubt I can ever compare to Rock Lee and Might Guy. They're prodigies in their own right and have infinite energy. I know my stamina isn't the best ever.

But if I'm going to be a lackluster Uchiha, I need something _more_ compensate. Good taijutsu (when there are actually prodigies like Might Guy) is not really impressive for a "gifted child".

But the only other non-chakra thing I can think of is weapons.

 _First medic-nin and now Tenten?_

Well... her style was mainly throwing deadly accurate weapons at people and Sealing Techniques. I definitely don't have the time, patience, or passion to learn the latter.

Guess I'll learn lots of different weapons and use them in combat. That sounds "gifted". Me, able to use seven or nine different weapons in quick succession in combat _plus_ good taijutsu? Prodigy status.

I abuse my nurse privilege by asking them to check out history of weapons books and beginner Weapons Technique books. They return with a few thick books in tow. My parents must be paying good money for them to treat me so kindly.

I want to say sweet words but, alas, my mouth still heals.

Some woman by the name of Nana Moto wrote these books. _Weapons Technique: A History_ , _So You Want to Learn the Art of Weapon Warfare?_ , and _Guide to Weapons_ are some of my favorite editions of her books. Nana Moto keeps her prose simple yet provides countless resources on her endnotes.

I'm stuck between drawing and reading and hoping for the ability to talk so I can chat to the nurses. I need the _entertainment_. All the nurses are impatient at my writing speed. It's neat and beautiful but time consuming.

 _Thank you, Nozonda._

Before long I make paper shuriken and give them realistic weight from the abundance of straws I'm collecting and practice my grip and aim.

" _Remember not to trap yourself in the mindset of there being only one way to throw! Official institutions always teach the 'main way', but to be unpredictable in battle and to be your own ninja, feel free to throw whatever feels right to you!_ "

I am terrible but I find minutes ticking away faster.

.:

Day 12 in my h/cell, also known as: hospital room, Takenaka's room, room 204.

I get to walk around the Leaf Hospital, to get a chance to let my physical energy breathe. The pudgy woman who smells like sugar cookies is actually Nurse Rie.

"Are you feeling alright?" Rie says. "You've been off pain medication for a while now. Feel free to head back."

The pain in mouth is killing me, but not as much as retreating to my room. I draw her a smiley face.

"Aw! You're a good artist!"

My pain fades a little bit.

"It's a wonderful watermelon!"

 _No_ —

We pass by the gift shop for the second time. It's finally open. I get Rie to let me enter.

"Just in case you want to comfort a loved one and forgot to go to the store," she tells me. "Or you're staying the night and you brought nothing. We offer all kinds of necessities!"

At overpriced costs as well. No shock there. I just like the nice music playing and the adults and children talking all around me. Voices. Activity. So much better than the same nurses every so often every day.

And all the colors. And _knicknacks_. I love collecting pointless things! I've missed doing that! My old mother (something hurts and it isn't my mouth) warned me about becoming a hoarder when I grew up. I like pointless things to kill time, but I don't have any time to spend in this new world.

I play with windchimes, though. The fantasy-like noise they make really puts me in a thinking mood. Or, uh, brooding mood.

"Do you want windchimes? These can go on your hospital window if you want cheap music!"

Tempting... but no. I'll be leaving here eventually. And some part of me thinks that the noise might hide the sound of an intruder. Go paranoia.

Past the chimes that jingle in the distance are eye masks! They're just like the ones superheroes wear!

—even though it does little to mask their identity?

I grab a dark purple one and put it on. The me in the mirror has a kinda superhero-like flair. The surgical mask and my unkempt hair give me a boyish charm. My superhero name can't be _suchandsuch_ **man** but _suchandsuch_ **boy**.

I wink to myself, though. Kakashi already took the best supervillain in the DC comics, so I, _suchandsuch_ boy, will make him my rival!

 _Go, go, Takenaka! Do do_ —

"Takenaka, why are you wearing that? It's for... those who have terrible bags under their eyes or... any eye skin imperfections," Rie reads the package right next to me, ruining my reflection.

I write to her: _True... but I love the way I look in this! I look cool! Confident! Can I keep it, Nurse Rie?!_

Rie laughs. "Why not? It'll go on your tab, though!"

In all my giddiness I forget I'm four and I can get away with dumb pleas such as this.

...did I ever have a childhood?

I strut out the gift shop with my mask on, feeling infinitely better already.

.:

There's light at the end of the tunnel. Day 14 of life in h/cell and bursting through the door is my precious mother.

"Takenaka!" Despite it being a little impolite in public, Mama hugs me tightly. "I missed you. Itachi missed you. Fugaku as well..."

As she says that, Papa sits Itachi on my bed who crawls to me and hugs me tightly. I hug him back.

Papa sits at my side in his Jounin uniform, compared to Mama's neat and proper dress and Itachi's high collar plus slacks. Papa looks okay... even after his brother's death after all.

"You still can't speak?" Mama says.

My mouth isn't as painful as my first day. I think I can speak enough and deal with the soreness whereas my mouth was almost locked shut my first week. But my unused voice may scare Itachi, so I keep quiet.

"I'm glad you're getting better," she says. "One more week and you'll be home. The doctor says you'll be able to do ninja training like you want."

 _Nice_. I show Mama my picture of a happy Takenaka and she giggles.

"Very good," Mama says. "It's an adorable kitten, Takenaka."

 _Eh?_ I touch my hair intakes, identical to Mama's and Papa's, lamenting on how cat-like they appear.

"Tata," my brother calls and points to his eyes, "what?"

I write my answer and Mama reads it: "'With this mask, I am Takenaka Uchiha the superhero, Itachan!' your brother says."

Itachi smiles at Mama's rather impressive mimic of my prepubescent voice. "Hero?"

"Apparently your brother saves the day from evil."

"Good Tata!"

I chuckle silently. So I really just shake with glee.

I begin to write down _everything_ I've been dying to say them —

 _It's so boring! I see why ninja are always trying to escape!_

 _The rooms all have one setting: really cold!_

 _The food isn't that bad. It doesn't smell like anything, though. Is that fishy?_

 _How's Karada? Did he... mention anything about me?_

 _Is the Leaf okay? The Uchiha?_

Papa leaves an hour into my investigation. Mama remains patient. For a good three hours.

"We'll visit again tomorrow," she says. "Itachi is hungry. Be a very good boy, Takenaka."

My empty room is silent. The cold air feels colder.

Nothing but silence.

 _I should've bought those wind chimes._

.:

Before leaving the hospital to begin training once again, I take the time to visit an old friend.

"Takenaka! You're back!"

Obito is unrecognizable at first. His face is all the same color and smooth, but there are thin stitches starting from his hairline and does a curvy line down to his neck. His right eye lacks a pupil, a trait that can only be seen in bright light. Other than that, the onyx hides the wound.

He sits crosslegged in his bed, with wind chimes twinkling on his open window. Obito waves to me with a gloved hand.

"Big Brother, you look great!" But my voice is very subdued. I can't really move my mouth wide enough to convey my intent.

Obito immediately picks up on this, "Are you sick?"

"Training accident," I smile, "and twice in a row, too."

"Oh man! That sucks! We're both super unlucky, huh?"

I beam. "I finally managed to make a fireball, Big Brother. Thank you for all your help."

One half of his face turns pink. "Ah, it's n-nothing. What are friends for? Any — anyway, I'm gonna be leaving this terrible place soon!"

"So am I." Then a thought. "Hey... are you okay with telling me what happened or... am I being insensitive?"

Obito looks out the window. "No... guess you're really worried. Uh, well. Team Minato was assigned on a secret mission near Wind's border. I _think_ we were trying to form an alliance? I was a little late to the debriefing, uh... It all went horribly wrong when our hosts tried to murder us. Minato-sensei split from me and Rin and Kakashi. Then, out of nowhere, this scorpion puppet _thing_ is trying to murder us! No, wait, not us, but the Third Kazekage, and, wait that doesn't make sense!"

I breathe in to tell Obito to calm down.

"Minato-sensei was separated from us 'cause of the Wind's really creepy puppet crew. Said that the Sand loves their poison, so he should disable them. Well, me, Rin, and Kakashi stumbled into a fight with a scorpion puppet thing and the Third Kazekage! And the scorpion guy brought friends that nearly killed Rin, so I took the hit for her! And, I'm a _Chuunin_ , you hear! I'm not going to let my teammates get hurt. Not again."

Unconsciously, Obito activates his Sharingan. It's _matured_. That should be impossible. No Sharingan awakens as matured...

"So I tell Rin and Kakashi — because I thought the poison was killing me but it was just 'paralytic' — that if somebody was gonna die, it's _me_. They're amazing friends and people and I'm a screw-up. I'm going to make sure they live a long life. Then explosions happened... I got burned and my body stopped responding to me. I really thought I was dead. I was almost depressed Rin would never know my real feelings, too...

"So she healed me as I started to black out. And now I'm here. But I didn't have all my memories right. So the doctor said I was severely poisoned and burned — like, they grabbed skin for my face off my — " Obito freezes. Laughs. Nervously. "A-Anyway, it took me a moment to realize I wasn't dead and to remember what happened. Now look at me! I'm ready to kick some _butt_!"

I remember, too.

Obito kept saying _sasori_ or scorpion, and added puppets, so naturally I easily remember Sasori of the Sand, one of the cooler Akatsuki members who locked his heart inside a puppet to live forever. (Orochimaru, take notes.)

Sasori was trying to kill the Third Kazekage, but why? I can't remember anything other than Sakura's and Kankurou's fights. _Wait_. He used the Third in his fight. Oh. _Oh no_.

Team Minato is _so_ unlucky.

Their sensei is the strongest in the Leaf, the future Fourth Hokage, so they'll forever get difficult missions that are really more for _Minato_ than _Team Minato_.

But, I have to admit, Obito is the bravest 11-year-old I know.

"Umm... are you doing good? You look really pale." Obito waves his gloved hand over my face.

"Yes... I'm okay." I pinch the bridge of my nose and return to smiling. "And you're okay, too! Rin will be so happy to see you up and moving."

"Yeah... I miss her. And Minato-sensei, too! And, I guess, Kushina, too," he grumbles. "But Kakashi'll be the only one disappointed I'm back. _Whatever_." He huffs. But I know he's deeply affected so I squeeze his shoulder.

"If he ruins your welcome home trip," I tell him innocently, "we'll just have to severely prank him back."

His eyes glitter before he arches a brow warily. "How?"

"By using the Hidden Leaf Village's ultimate technique! One that will even defeat him in ultimate punishment!"

Obito's riveted, breathing quickly and leaning in closer. " _Really_? You had a dangerous technique and didn't tell me?"

"Only the best of the best can preform this, Big Brother, but don't fear — you'll distract and I'll deliver the killing blow! I'll give you a hint — " and I whisper the entire technique into his ear.

He squeaks with excitement and shivers. "If that Bakashi ruins my day, I'll ruin his, too!"

"That's the spirit," I encourage. "Though remember, this rule doesn't apply on the battlefield. No matter what happens, do make sure you don't make your teammates so angry they separate."

The sudden shift leaves him baffled. "What'd you say?"

"Head my advice with common sense," I say slowly, hands crossed behind my back. "A battlefield is _not_ the time for revenge. It's a time to make sure everyone you love gets back home safely, including yourself."

"...Takenaka, why are we talking about this?"

"Because — " I stop my lie. I drop my smile. "Because I've fought in the war, of course, and I don't want to see you die like all those men."

Obito doesn't respond. He's frozen.

This was a bad idea. _Why tell him something he didn't need to know?_ What if he goes blabbing that secret to others?

I look away. "Nevermind. Forget it."

I run out his room like a coward.

And run right into someone else.

Staggering, I hold my nose in pain, checking for blood as I hear a hard thud from the person I ran into.

"My sincerest apologies!" I say because it's a girl, probably a bit older than me, that I've run into.

She wears a lab coat too baggy for her petite frame. The way she can't even meet my eyes and bites her lip clues me in that she's not a confident girl. She's like a miniature Marui.

Well, she seems slow and dazed, and a red spot is blossoming on her forehead like the Japanese flag. So I quickly grab the scattered papers and make them presentable as I hand them to her. The girl stares at them, then me, then away, and belatedly takes the small stack, hugging them against her chest.

I can't help but to chuckle. "I didn't hit you too hard, did I? You seem like a medic, so I think you'll know if you're injured or not. It's a good thing there's nurses nearby..."

I know she hears me, but she only grimaces.

I wait for her to say _something_. Is she mad? Ignoring me? It's an accident. Is she really that upset? Or is she just awkward? I have no clues.

The girl's slowness and reserved nature doesn't apply to her deep maroon hair: half of it is free, angled, starting from below her chin and stopping at her ear. The other half is stuck in a small ponytail that's hidden when I look directly at her. Pale fingers find themselves stuck in her loose hair.

Finally a clue, on her red blouse: her green lanyard with an ID attached to it at the bottom — _Aki Mon. Age 6. First Year Medical Student. Uma-sensei._

I smile. "If I've offended you, I'm sorry, Aki."

Aki goes as red as an Uchiha fan, scrambles to her feet, and darts the opposite direction. I can probably catch up to her, but a loud jingle on the floor stops me. I'm reminded of the song _Jingle Bells_ and look down.

There's, as expected, a bell tied with a red string lying ownerless. I didn't see a bell on her. It might've been in her pocket. For now, I pick up the bell and vow to return it someday. Soon, thanks to Kanka's deceit.

.:

On my second to last day in the hospital, I ask if I can extend my physical therapy to the village. I have a sinking feeling I'll be trapped within the compound again.

Nurse Rie has taken a liken to me, so she guides me out the door and we start walking.

Ah. I missed the smells of the Leaf: greenery, shinobi, iron, and food. The atmosphere is not as dismal as I thought it would be. Guess folks feel like staying depressed isn't really going to change anything. And so the streets are full of vendors and the market (though lacking variety) sells its food.

Without the Uchiha emblem on my back, I'm basically an average citizen — completely normal if I drop the correct posture I adopted. I chat with Rie as we walk and her face lights up with the wonders of the Leaf.

"Oh, can we go somewhere, really fast?" I say, trying to give her the cutest toddler ever. When men are young, they win their battles by cuteness.

Her baby blues are glistening. "Take me to the place and I'll decide!"

I just arrive at the street I saw in the anime. From the way I entered, I see I'm walking past Sakura Haruno's home.

Compared to mine, it's so simple, so unassuming. A child bursts through the doors, but not one of pink hair. He has grayish locks and a face full of freckles. He runs right past me, to his friends that wait further down the street.

Some sort of heaviness pulls at my heart. Though, I continue to the place I _really_ want to go to.

"Yamanaka Flowers!" Rie quickly ushers _me_ inside.

The store is kept warm. It has many windows on its left side for plants and on the right there are plants that sit in the shade. The entire place is perfumed with fresh cut grass smells and something water-y.

—that's no good if this place smells like cut grass, though.

I read somewhere that smell is _actually_ grass trying to kill you. Wish someone could have told me that **before** I went 15 years inhaling the aroma like a smoker.

(What if I'm secretly sadistic? What if the test to see if a ninja would fit in Torture and Investigation is by seeing how addicted to the smell they are?)

Rie nudges me.

A blond man, silks more easy on the eye than Minato's hair, smiles a smile that could rival my mother's, and waves with his broomstick. "Good morning. How may I help you?"

"Rie," I smile, "I want you to pick out your flower. I have to go get another, too, though."

"But..." Rie's hands play at the ribbon resting on her chubby stomach. "But this will go on your tab!"

 _Mama and Papa might be mad, too._

"Don't worry. I think you deserve it."

Her cheeks go red and she bows. "Thank you, Takenaka!"

She goes off with the Yamanaka. It's empty and almost quiet were it not for the distant sound of water splashing somewhere. I go up and down the aisles. I can't resist the urge to not touch every flower I see.

Wavy, dry, brittle, bendy, yielding, tough, hairy, spiky, thorny —

Soft petals, hard petals, petals like velvet, petals like brick, teardrop-shaped, angular, very tiny, very large —

It's exhilarating, really. To know a plant can have so, so many textures.

A... Anyway, I do find a flower I like. A sunflower. It's... probably not the normal flower people would use, but! I don't want to be depressed all the time.

Rie returns with lavender callalillies and after paying, we head to my next stop.

"Oh," Rie murmurs.

I walk up and down, searching for his name. At last I find it on the Memorial Stone reserved for Third War victims, place beside two previous.

I'm not the first person to have brought flowers and I'm certainly not the last. But I don't like looking at the flower petals turning dark brown on the edges or some petals decorating the grass. So I dig up a small hole, grab my sunflowers and their roots out my small pot, plant, and cover the roots with the displaced dirt.

Since I'm on my knees, I hold my hands in prayer just like I saw my parents do as we visited the Nindera for deceased Uchiha.

 _Hey, Mr. Hakushi. I know we never spoke much because of the war. You were busy fighting. I couldn't join you_ — _obviously. I'm glad you befriended my father, but now that you're gone, he's more... harsh. Like, I know my father understands death is inevitable, but I get the feeling he would have loved for us to get closer as I grew up._

 _You know... there is a strange girl in my family. She told me on my birthday that four is unlucky. I told her four could be_ my _lucky number, but we see how that's going, right?_

 _Anyways... wherever you are... I hope you're reincarnated. I hope you keep your memories_ — _not including your death. No one should remember that. I'd love to meet again in this world. I hope we won't be enemies, though. I hope my father can see you again, preferably alive._

 _Sorry. I can't really do seriousness. I'm the kind of guy who laughs at funerals not because they're funny but because being around all the black and tears, I feel like I'll have a mental breakdown if I cry. It's not a bad thing to cry. It's just, to me, crying is acknowledging you're depressed and you're relieving these emotions. I'm still immature, so I can't do that._

 _Okay. I've talked for a bit. Thanks for being around. Thanks for being my godfather. Rest in peace._

I mumble a quick prayer I heard my parents whisper and get to my feet.

"Alright," I smile, to alleviate Rie's pained expression, "let's go."

.: **TWO END** :.

* * *

I've turned the line "River-cooled summer winds blow the smell of burning men" into a catchy ditty. I know one day I'll slip and say the words out loud. That will probably the reason why I never update this fic again.

Also, Takenaka _is_ incorrect about the grass smell, so stay back reviewers who wish to correct me! I thought it was nice to show he isn't always correct and that, as a disadvantage, gives him an element of unreliability. Still. I like him being wrong sometimes than him having god-like levels of knowledge over every little thing.

Forewarning: school is in session so updates are slow, least till Spring Break.

\- 10 Jan 2018.


	6. ZERO: THREE

**A Measure of Darkness**

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." Reincarnation!OC

— Robert Frost, _Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening_

* * *

 **THREE**

 _ **A Measure of Darkness**_

 _The Years Before Academy_ — _The Secret Life of Hakushi_

* * *

I'm struggling not to laugh.

Nothing is funny. But even in this world, my biggest weakness is being ticklish.

The doctor has his hand pressed against the "base of the seal" as he calls it which is the where the lines of calligraphic Japanese meet above my naval. Chilled chakra lightly drums against stomach and makes the lines on my body a bit more heavy rather than just being weightless.

It's these light vibrations that threaten to make me burst into giggles.

"Um, doctor," I say to keep my mind off laughing, "I was thinking of pursuing a medical career. Do you know if all medics are required to learn Sealing Techniques?"

I know a bit about Sealing Techniques from Tenten, Kushina, and Jiraiya, but my memory of Sealing Techniques is fading fast. It _is_ a cool concept, to use and take language humans made and have it interact with the world around us. Maybe Sealing Techniques deal heavily with Ninshuu's interconnection theme.

"Medics need only know basics," mumbles he, attention mostly placed on my seal. "Specialists such as myself deal with more complex applications."

"Oh... um, can I specialize in something, too? I really like chakra. The human body is okay, but there's really no shortage of body doctors and therapists, right?"

The doctor meets my eyes, eyebrows formed into curiosity.

"Chakra healing specialist? Chakra pathologist specialist?"

"Huh?"

"Do you aim to heal chakra or to determine the issues plaguing chakra? More importantly, are you competent in performing surgeries to fix these problems or do you wish to merely detect and determine?"

 _Oh boy_. "I wasn't aware of there being so many subcategories..."

"Well, the Medic Corps is an umbrella term. Every medic is a different person. People are good at certain things and are utilized in whatever makes them the most efficient to the Hidden Leaf.

"Field medics are medical-ninja who can go into ninja teams and fight. Some of these are particularly medic-centered fighters while others branch out into more disciples, but are endorsed by Medic Corps.

"Stationary medics are medics and medical-ninja who work in a particular area. This is typically the most common option for people who are not physically inclined. These medics usually devote every space of their minds to medicine.

"From those two major categories, which one would you prefer?"

I understand this much about medic-nin types. I don't want to be a stationary medic. I'm not passionate enough to pursue medicine in a hospital. I want to be a warrior.

"Field medic, definitely."

"Naturally from that point, your training deviates from stationary medics. You will be taught quick offensive and defensive techniques and pressure will be on in creating fast yet effective healing techniques. In battle, you cannot spend as long as a stationary medic to heal."

I nod. That's logical. I really don't want my medic to take her precious time healing a face wound while I'm bleeding out.

"However," my doctor continues, "most field medical-ninja are typically body specialists. I have never heard of a field medic specializing in chakra-centered healing."

"Let me guess... those specialists are stationary medics?"

He nods.

So _annoying_. As far as I can tell, the human body is no different in this world than in my old world. So the same boredoms that plagued me in biology will continue in this world.

Every biology teacher always told me I should enjoy it because it requires so much memory, but there's a difference. Memorizing names and parts is no fun. Memorizing leaders and battles and epic failures of humanity _is_ fun. The latter _happened_ and can be recorded. I could probably go to the Alamo or see the bases of the War of Roses.

In biology, all that stuff talked about is hidden underneath skin. I _really_ don't want to chop half my neck off just to see my Vagus nerve.

It's no fun.

But if Kanka is threatening to spill my secrets to my parents: my studies in Ninshuu, my near death in chakra suppression, my inability to perform nature transformation — I _have to_ become a medic as she wants.

At least... I'll be able to fix Itachi, to remove that piece of my chakra floating in his system somewhere.

Instantly, I realize the only way to beat being ticklish: guilt and stress.

"Finished."

The ink recedes to underneath his palm. Lifting it up, all that remains is a Kanji character for _hinder_. Immediately after, my chakra starts to spread to the rest of my body — like blood flooding a blood-deprieved limb. It actually feels really natural to have the constant swell of energy beneath my skin.

"It will wash off with two to four baths," he explains.

"Thank you." I bow briefly before I get to throw on my casual clothes my mother brought me and leave.

My mother waits in lobby sitting in a chair, a closed parasol at her side. She stands up as we meet eyes and her thin dress sways in the small breeze.

"I missed you," I grin. "Look, my mouth's all better! I can finally eat some real food. Well, the hospital food isn't too bad..."

"I've signed the paperwork, Takenaka. We may leave now."

I throw a wave to Nurse Rie who practically shouts "Goodbye!" while crying. And we step from the cooled hospital to a heated, humid Hidden Leaf summer. The first week of July. Mama has her plain, pastel parasol open and shielding us from the sun's intensity. I try to fan myself but my hand only blows around hot air.

If physical energy can make me warm when cold, can spiritual energy make me cold while warm? I see Mama isn't sweating like some of the other villagers. _Everybody_ sweats.

I send spiritual energy through my system. The sudden coolness also dampens the world around me with muted colors and sounds. The thoughts of my mind are echoing louder than my footsteps.

"Takenaka," Mama calls me, voice distant and dreamy. "You're such a troublesome boy. How can someone be so well-mannered yet frustrating?"

She smiles, though.

"You weren't supposed to buy needless things or ask unnecessary favors, silly. You just needed to rest. Although considering yourself, I don't think you can relax."

I can almost see the red and white of the Uchiha emblem. I'll be locked up once more.

"Are you alright?"

Did I speak to her? I'm certain I did? And what were we talking about? It's not important if I forgot.

"Do we have ice cream?" It's a safe question by all means.

"Yes... we do. You don't look very hot, though."

As a kunoichi, she doesn't hide suspicion from her voice. I throw on something I think is a smile and say, "I've mastered the art women used to keep beautiful no matter what!"

Mama fakes a hurt noise before giggling. "You really are your father's son..."

"My father is girly?" _What?_

"N-No, I mean, you catch on quickly. Your father is not a very girly man. I couldn't even get him to wear a flower for the wedding..."

All I can imagine is Fugaku being a ballerina, no pants but the frilliest tutu imaginable.

We arrive at home. I balance out my chakra and feel the environment on my body more clearly. My mind is aching — a strange feeling, for the ache isn't exactly physical.

"Fugaku!" calls Mama. "Itachi?"

It's really quiet. I take off my shoes and search for my brother's silvery chakra. "They're home, Mama."

"Then the question is _where_." She follows behind me, maybe because I move purposely.

I first open the doors to my father's study, where I feel the silver most. It's empty.

"They were definitely here," I tell my mother.

She steps in and retrieves a paper off Papa's desk. Mama shows it to me: a picture scribbled with yellow and green crayons. "Yes, they were most certainly here. Do you have any other leads?"

"Hmm." I rub my temples to get my mind to focus. "I think my big brother instincts are kicking in. Upstairs?"

"Let's see."

I guide my mother up the stairs and the silvery chakra ends at my parent's room.

I was always told I could never enter their room. Ever.

Mama sees my hesitation and slips in. I press an ear to the paper screen. No sounds. Mama exits and I arch a brow in confusion.

"My boys are sleeping," she says with pink cheeks. "That only leaves you and me."

"Ice cream?" I grin.

"Ice cream," she nods.

We sit under our shady tree eating mint chocolate chip. In this moment, my mother almost looks like an overgrown school girl.

"Do you have any plans for the future?" says she.

The mint is perfect in numbing my body to heat. It also makes me not want to use my brain, but I guess I have to.

"Become a good ninja?"

"You need long-term goals, you know."

"I'm no good at that. But I know what I want to learn this month. I'm talking about shuriken and kunai and taijutsu. I want to learn some martial arts first before I go into weapons."

"I saw you were interested." She's no doubt referring to the tab. "What about medicine? You're still taking up Kanka's offer, are you not?"

My face curls in annoyance without my meaning to, and I twist away so Mama can't see. "Yup..."

"You don't sound enthusiastic. It may sound scary or boring, but you'll learn very important skills and, who knows, you may just enjoy medical ninjutsu."

"Maybe..."

We eat in silence. I finish long before my mother does and steal bites of her ice cream. It reminds me of simple times with my original parents. Even if Mikoto isn't real, well... I know how much my mother loved to hang out with her children without having to work. I'd imagine Mikoto is just as happy.

It leads me into asking, "Is Papa happy? With Mr. Hakushi and all..."

"Your father is very stubborn. He won't stop functioning because of something like this..."

Is she lying? Her words sound practiced. "But he'll snap soon if he keeps forcing himself to not grieve."

Though it's very hypocritical: _I_ hate crying. If something bad happens, I shut down. Somehow doing nothing for hours helps me than crying for a few minutes. I'm sure it's healthier to cry, but I can never bring myself to do it.

Then I start to wonder how my three weeks in the hospital affected my mother, who had to be home alone with him and Itachi. I'll bet Papa neglected her, pouring into his work and meetings. I wonder how much she missed me.

That _won't do_. I won't have my family suffering. If they're miserable now, they will be even more miserable when the Nine Tails attacks and ruins our lives, basically starting an eight year countdown to death.

.:

While my mother gives my brother a bath, my father is eating a quick meal at the dinning room table. As I step towards him, I can tell he doesn't really focus on me, but his body reacts to my movement even if his mind is elsewhere.

I say, very... _very_... childlike: "Papa isn't okay."

His lips twist into a frown and seconds pass before he looks at me. "Excuse me?" His voice is weary.

"You are not okay. I won't say talk about it. I know you don't want to."

Papa goes back contemplating the universe while staring at his greens.

I sit beside him on his seat, barely taking up much room. Very uncommonly told, but Uchiha men have absolutely nothing in the rear end. I don't dare sit in his lap — not because of the mental age difference — because no one should deal with the pain of a bony tail end.

"Mr. Hakushi told me how you and Mama met him," I begin, seeing his grip on his chopsticks tighten a fraction. I'll let Papa join in my story if he can handle it. "You two were really bad rivals over Mama. Mama liked Mr. Hakushi, too! I'm really glad she chose you, Papa. Imagine me as Takenaka Hakushi!"

Hakushi... I'm not really sure if it's a surname or first name. It's just a _name_. It's strange. Even the name etched onto the Memorial Stone is just _Hakushi_.

"Hakushi would've never liked your mother..."

His voice is very low. Maybe he didn't realize he spoke. Either way, my strategy is going along well.

"Uh-huh! Papa is the best! But... you know, he talked to me about not liking anyone, too. I... didn't know what to say. What _can_ you say to that? Maybe..."

"You're too young to be worrying about love," says the one who stopped eating a while ago.

"But why not? It's everywhere! You and Mama... Mr. Hakushi... I walk in the village, sometimes, and I see love everywhere. It's very important to people! Like, I love my family and because I do, I'll always protect you guys." I decide to do something sneaky, like I did to Mama when Itachi was a week old. "How come Mr. Hakushi can't love?"

I look up and see the muscles of his jaw bulging, how his Adam's apple bobs.

"Mama won't answer me. She treats me like I'm delicate. I can handle some things, too."

 _So don't go telling me "Ask your mother"._

I get the sense he feels trapped. He doesn't leave from his seat but I know he's too unsteady to eat his food as it begins to grow colder.

"Well, if you're tired, Papa, can you tell me something about Mr. Hakushi? He shows up in my dreams sometimes — "

" _How_?"

I jump at his harsh tone. Uncalled for. What's with this rudeness? "He's teaching me fishing."

Papa actually sighs. I think it's the first time I've seen him do so.

"...you're sticking your nose where it doesn't belong, Takenaka. All you need to know is that he was your godfather."

"Shouldn't I know _more_? I want to something about the man making Papa so miserable." My voice comes out way more depressed than what I was going for.

 _Oh._ This actually hurts a bit.

"Takenaka... he... Hakushi... was my comrade. There's no one else I could trust in this world with my secrets than him."

 _Stop pushing me away!_ I start to become insistent. That's stupid, I know, I know. Why can't I stop, though?

"How could you trust him? He drinks so much! He'd let a secret go."

"Even drunk, he would never betray me."

" _Why_ did Mr. Hakushi drink so much? Was he sad? If you're sad, will you start drinking, too? Mr. Hakushi is alright, but you're my _papa_ and I don't want to see you drink away pain!"

Off script. Off course. Just a gentle story to provoke into commenting. To make him think. I shouldn't be saying things like this.

I stare at my lap. This superhero eye mask does very little to conceal my identity.

Then a warmth on my shoulder: Papa's hand.

"He didn't drink to hide his pain. To him... life is unpredictable. Things that should hold true won't. Places that he loves will go away in time. So he drunk to become like the world."

 _Woah._ Sounds like one trippy perspective of Ninshuu. Could being drunk actually allow better connection to the world? A part of me figured on a whim that Hakushi liked being drunk because he was essentially Rock Lee.

"Mr. Hakushi is very wise," I say deliberately, keeping aware of my father's mood. "Is that why he never loved?"

"No... those who are wise are filled with love. His case was different. Unlike most ninja... Hakushi — well, Hakushi felt alone because of his lack of love. That led to his drinking, certainly, but he is a great man at heart. Loyal... passionate..." he trails off.

I will continue to hear vague statements at the cost of Papa's mood at this rate. I need to dial it back before Papa associates me with the anxiety of questions. "Thank you for sharing that information with me. I won't trouble you any more."

I flee the room to give him time to recharge. In the end, I know a bit more about Hakushi from Papa's simple explanations and words. But as soon as I understand who this man was, I can relieve the sadness in my father's heart.

.:

I start training once I get alone time, doing fundamentals over and over again to work off my month long break. After the fifth repetition, my body starts to feel alive.

My teachers are centered around Itachi now, leaving me more free time to myself. I spend my time trying to build up muscle. I've nearly mastered chakra so I can afford to build myself up physically, get a good balance.

I maintain a high-low intensity work out. It's a fitness technique that allows for more muscle building than a regular session. Low intensity is something that shouldn't get my heart rate too fast or leave me gasping for air. High intensity is pushing every muscle to the max and keeping it there despite the pain. Low intensity takes up 2/3s of every routine.

An example would be jogging for a minute for a total of 6 minutes for low intensity. Then sprinting full speed of 36 seconds for a total of 3 minutes. Total exercise time: 9 minutes.

With a toddler's body, I have to be careful not to permanently damage myself and ruin my career before it's begun. _Somehow_ I've already flopped on nature transformation but considering how scary my father is with only fire and yin, that's not too bad. Probably.

By the end of the year, my goal is to learn taijutsu. There is no real rush to learn it, actually. I'm supposed to learn Uchiha taijutsu from my grandfather as soon as the war cools off. Right now, the best of the best Uchiha are fighting while the average Uchiha get a break. Less Uchiha are dying, thankfully, but now the elite barely see home.

I wish the war would end soon. But it won't stop until Itachi is at least four or five. So I work.

A part of me feels tired of all the lonely exercises, but the me that wants to be special pushes forth.

I don't use physical energy to make my workout easier my first go around because if I run low on chakra or can't access it, I need to be able to fend for myself. Granted, being an average human in a world of mutants is a downgrade, but may help in battle. I have to be versatile.

But then I practice with chakra so I know my limitations and how long (or little) I can sustain muscle enhancements. Just sending a small portion of physical energy directly into my arm muscles makes the appendage twitchy and bright red with bulging veins.

"Forty-four... forty-five..."

My breathing is ragged. Despite my effort, tears spring to my eyes as I slowly hull my chin over the bar.

"Forty-six..."

Pain. Soreness. Muscle stiffness. I heard once that the greatest barrier to achieving success in the mind. As long as I picture my corpse among my parents for Sasuke to see, I have no major issues stopping me.

But... I do have another barrier in my way: person-shaped and gazing at me in worry.

"Takenaka, aren't you training too hard?" Mama's voice is pitched high with anxiety. "Please, rest."

I hang from the bar not much taller than Mama herself. "I en-enjoy pushing myself, Ma... I'll protect all of you one day."

She bites her lip in silence, hoping my guilty conscience will make me quit. Mama makes the game hard, but I keep going.

"Forty-seven... forty-eight..."

Mama stares at me for a while longer before Papa calls her. Even without seeing her doe eyes, I still feel her gaze basically _daring_ me to quit.

.:

A mere week later, Papa has his bags packed for yet another leave. He, at the very least, waited for me to return before running off, so there's that.

Mama shuts the door with Itachi in hand and looks at me. "So. Are you eating breakfast before training?"

"No training for now. I've got _plans_ ," I smirk.

"Plans?" she says, in that tone mothers use to humor their child.

"Sorry. I mean, _we_ have plans."

At this, she looks lost. "We do? And what would they be?"

"We're going to be detectives today, Mama. Our mission is to learn about the man Mr. Hakushi was!"

"What? You've asked your father, haven't you? If he didn't tell you anything, it's not really your place to intrude." Her body presses closer to Itachi, as if hinting this is over and he's more of a priority now.

"Mama. He is a stubborn man. He would never admit there's a problem. That would mean he's too incompetent to solve it. So either we force him to do what his ego won't let him do, or we all suffer."

She starts to bite her lip. Karada's persuasion lessons _are_ actually used in reality. Huh.

"I'm sure you've been lonely or hurting because of all of this. It's only been a month since Papa lost someone important to him. They say the first year of grieving determines if the person will fight past their demons or fall to them."

Mama's dark eyes lock onto me.

"Let me dress Itachi first."

I'm wearing my thinnest clothing and I still feel trapped in a sauna. The heat is enough for me to temporarily remove my superhero eye mask as we search the Hidden Leaf.

"Do we know where he lives?" I say to Mama who's already shaking her head.

"I know he was an orphan. His parents were not ninja, I believe."

"Then where should our search began?"

Mama turns to the Hokage Rock behind us. "The Academy. Teachers there love to help each other out. They are very connected."

"But... there's no way his teacher is still there. How long has it been since he was in school? Centuries?"

"Teachers don't really last but a decade. There may be hope, however."

We make our way to the Academy, me feeling somewhat nervous to have my genius brother so close to ninja. He already mimics me as it is. As soon as he displays talent in ninja arts, it's over. He's just too brilliant.

But my brother actually drifts to sleep on my back. _Nice_.

To my surprise, the Academy, one color away from being the American flag, is devoid of children. There's the tell-tale swing hanging in the front and the main building that looms above us. There are also several sub-buildings behind the main one and a giant building that looks to be a gym of sorts.

The door is open and an old-fashioned fan placed in front a bucket of ice cubes blows in air to the darkened building. We sidestep the fan and enter the circular room.

"Welcome, Uchiha-sama," speaks a man with a strong jawline, working behind the desk on papers, face shining with sweat. "How may I help you? Fall enrollment?"

"No, thank you. Actually, I need to ask you a question about a teacher here." Mama starts to chat while I look around, letting her take over for her idea.

 _I'll be going here before long_ , I think, and something like a pressure builds in my mind. My heart makes its presence known.

I have to _be better_ than my brother Itachi Uchiha. If I don't, if my clan deems him more suitable than me, my gentle little brother will follow the exact same circumstances as in canon — Shisui, ANBU, Danzou, the _murder_ — and I don't want to be sidelined in favor of him. And if he does pull away from the clan and leaves me behind, what am I to do? Would Itachi _really_ sacrifice me — well into my teens — over an innocent child if he even killed his love? No. He wouldn't.

I don't want to see my family die. I don't really care about myself dying anymore, just don't let _them_ die. No-one deserved to die. My family wasn't completely wrong in their rebellion. The _Itachi Shinden_ novels (sadly their words comes and goes from my memory as I read the duology for _fun_ , not realizing _this_ could happen) made it very clear how badly the village was prejudiced against the Uchiha, even comparable to Naruto's treatment.

But if I'm going to save my family, wouldn't that mean I'd have redeem the Uchiha name? _How_? With no starting point, I decide to keep as is, to just become really strong. To distract myself from the oncoming stress, I take in the Academy's appearance.

All over the walls are basically propaganda, just simplified and given bright, happy colors for children. The three Hokage are lined up on the wall and the biggest wall in the main office has an award cabinet. In it are trophies and medals. On the backs of the shelves are notable shinobi. Early graduation, Most improved, Best medical-nin, Highest Scorers, and more.

It's a shock to see Kakashi's face plastered on the wall. His eyes still held a spark in them.

 _Kakashi Hatake: Early Graduation_

 _Kakashi is the son of Sakumo Hatake and is a natural prodigy in ninja arts..._

The next familiar face I see is Minato's.

 _Minato Namikaze: Highest Chuunin Exam Score_

 _Minato Namikaze comes from a modest background, but this child has always dreamed of becoming Hokage. To date, Minato has received the highest ever exam score..._

There are Uchiha. There are other clans. There few civilians.

Once again I am reminded of my near impossible goals. I am not smart. I am not gifted. All I've going for me is years others don't have within a world completely different than this. I'm really no different than a civilian.

Itachi flips his head to the other side, pressing his forehead under my ear.

I guess I really don't _have_ a choice.

A part of me feels silly trying to keep my family happy instead of training.

"Takenaka, I have some results."

But then I see Mama's smile and I can't bring myself to quit now.

"What is it?"

"Seki was their teacher — Hakushi and Fugaku."

The facts and what I've been told aren't adding up, and it takes me a moment to restart my mind. "You all... weren't in the same class?"

"No, my teacher was also my kunoichi class teacher," Mama says with a dismissive wave. "Your father and I were together because — ah, that's not important. What is, however, is that Seki had retired from teaching twelve years ago. As of now, he pursues his dream business."

"Which is?"

Of course.

I find myself in a shop completely devoted to blacksmithing.

The air itself smells like fire. It is thick and heavy. The waiting room leaves much to be desired with its glass windows magnifying the sunbeams on us.

In the window that reminds me of a bank teller's window, the shutters are thrown open and a man appears in front of a black curtain, smelling of smoke that reminds me a little _too_ much of Kanegasaki. One eye is permanently shut. His bald head glistens, tanned skin looks darker near the gray tank top.

"Morning," he says with an impressive, deep voice that puts my girly soprano to shame. "Lookin' to place a order?"

I can't even reach the small table jutting out from the window, so it's all Mama at this point.

"No, thank you. I was just wondering if you were my husband's teacher? Fugaku Uchiha?"

" _Ah_ , the clan heir. Just a typical Uchiha until he fought. Most refined and perfected fighter I've ever seen. Can't believe he's a father now." One eye drifts to me. As creepy as he looks, I still smile. "Does he miss me, then? That why you're here?"

"Actually, one of your students died in the war. I was curious about where lives or something about him I can use. His name was Hakushi."

" _Hakushi_?" Seki face flushes. "The boy died? I knew he wasn't right in the head but I'd never thought Fugaku'ld let him die."

I believe he knows them well. Even though they are adults, Seki still calls them _Hakushi-kun_ and _Fugaku-kun_.

"Can you tell me anything about him?" says Mama as her hands grip her dress.

"Ah, it's been a while. Can recall little. I remember that little brat asking me about relationship advice."

"He _did_?" Mama _and_ I say in unison. We both awkwardly cough and try to look at bit more dignified.

"Some girls liked him, and he didn't know what to do. He didn't do much to stand out during class and could be sociable outside of class if he wanted to. Some girls liked that about him. Even so, he would always run to me after school, jabbering about not liking girls at all and not understanding why."

Seki nods to himself with closed eyes, gloved hands briefly visible as his arms rest crossed over his chest.

"It was about the strangest thing I'd seen. Least in battle unbelievable things happen. You can still wrap your brain around it. In this case, seemed like he was just broken like that Might Duy fellow. I told him he was a late bloomer and try the other side if he was really that worried. Maybe it was just an odd time in his life."

 _Broken_ wouldn't be the word I'd use. I don't truly think there's an issue with him, but the more I learn, the curious I get.

"I see. Aside from that, can you recall anything else about him?"

"I saw him at the mission desk six years after he graduated. I definitely remember his face. Was empty, it was, and he wasn't with his team. I asked and he said he was going to leave the village by the end of the week. What else about him? Liked fishing. Roped Fugaku innit when they were competing. If there's nowhere else to check, follow the fish."

We leave, strangely unsatisfied. Itachi is awake and asks about food. So we start to walk to a nearby restaurant.

"Once again," I say, "he's a mystery."

"Hakushi wasn't a well-known ninja like your father," Mama says as she grabs Itachi from me. "And because I was so young, I really can't remember much."

I shift the conversation to things she does know. "When did you graduate?"

"I was eight. Your father was 12, almost 13, to save you from asking."

 _Wait_ , I knew she was young, but — if Itachi was five... — that means my mother is _twenty-four_. My father is _twenty-nine_. He acts like he's almost 40!

"Hold on here." I try to juggle everything I know. "You liked Mr. Hakushi even though you were five years younger?"

Mama is already shaking her head dismissively. "It was puppy love, frankly. I loved a boy that did not exist. Now, I love your father."

I'm full of questions and have no answers. Somehow I'm worried that maybe my parents don't actually love each other, that they're lying to themselves and us. I get that this culture deems lots of affection inappropriate. But I've never seen them act like a couple. They never celebrate their birthdays. No anniversaries. It's almost like two strangers sharing a home.

What if these two were arranged to marry each other? That would make so much sense. In absence of loving looks or gifts to each other, being forced to marry and to have children would be the best explanation.

 _Oh, Pain._ I'll have to be arranged to marry a girl as well. I don't have a choice for love nor saving my clan. This world really hates my guts.

Putting aside my family issues, we stop for food on the market square — a huge area devoted to trade. Most of the Leaf's size comes from homes, shinobi facilities, and large shops, so with little room left, merchants go for portable and small businesses. We eat the Japanese equivalent of sushi and shish kebabs dipped in soy sauce and head to our next location: the Orphanage.

A graying man answers the door, dressed in black robes like a nun. His thick eyebrows droop over sunken eyes "Good afternoon."

"Good afternoon. I am in need of some information of a man who lived here. He died recently in war."

"Ah. I see. Come in, come in."

The Orphanage looks very inviting, at least. There are warm brown tones and every room has high ceilings. I can hear children all over the place. With the war going on, I bet the pressure's rising with more and more orphans. Maybe this man is prematurely gray.

Itachi pulls me away from Mama and starts to point to a kiddie room connected to the main entrance. "What?"

"Do you want to play with that? I'll join you." I don't hesitate in taking Itachi to the kiddie room and straight to puzzles. My brother needs to have a healthy childhood at the very least.

I choose a jumbo puzzle of 50 pieces. The picture is of the Legendary Three Ninja, all stylized and epic-looking. Itachi goes for the piece with Jiraiya's face and I start with Tsunade. Orochimaru can be saved for last.

"Tata, why aren't home," Itachi clumsily asks as his eyes carefully scans the pieces.

"We're on a mission to make Papa happy," I beam, hoping some good vibes will get my brother to relax. "Can't you tell he's been gloomy?"

Itachi smiles a little. "Yes."

"We'll make him smile again. They say smiling adds years to your life."

Itachi touches his mouth. "That mean I die soon?"

" _Eh_? You smile a lot, even if your lips don't show it. You just can't be grumpy all the time."

"Ah," he breathes. I've showed him a whole new world, a new fantastic point of view.

 _He's so adorable._ There should be a limit on how cute a thing can be.

Mama enters the room as soon as every piece except for the Orochimaru ones are done. "Want to hear what I've learned?"

"You know it."

"They found him on the doorsteps one night with a note in his blankets. The next morning, the Second Hokage allowed a search for his parents, but found nothing at all. At any rate, the Orphanage took care of him. He seemed very normal for a kid. Soon he joined the Academy after the Second visited here, the same age as your father. They graduated at 12, were on the same team, and by 14 Hakushi moved out of the Orphanage," she lists off expertly, making me wonder if she's done many missions like this when active.

"Interesting." I stop Itachi from picking up Orochimaru's head.

"I had to _convince_ the Director to give me more confidential information. Hakushi moved into the apartment residence closest to the Uchiha Compound — makes sense as the two were becoming very close at this time — and that's all the Orphanage can tell us."

"So we head to the apartments now?"

"Actually... let's take a break for today. Fugaku won't return for a while. Once he returns, he'll be leaving again soon, knowing how he is. Let's not exhaust ourselves."

"But I'm curious," and it's a very weak argument.

Mama starts to take my brother's hands. "Let's go home, Itachi. Do you want me to buy you a puzzle?"

Itachi is nodding his head frantically.

I guess my working day is done.

.:

Waiting once again for my mother to resume the investigation, I start my taijutsu journey with the basics from out books.

I've read the history behind taijutsu and the most common and important taijutsu schools of study. In this world, taijutsu isn't known as martial arts styles like _karate_ , _krav maga_ , _jiu jutsu_. They're certain families almost, separated by signature moves; attack style; damage; and defensive potential. A "school" — a giant category of techniques within a certain style — can have moves from all three martial arts plus more.

This came about during the era before villages where karate or jiu jutsu masters were hard to reach (due to widespread violence, no less) and too expensive. People who had received some training or emulated others decided to shove techniques into certain categories based on the fighter — throwing together tens of martial art styles into one category.

Simply put, the "schools" incorporate lots of skills and abilities for many different types. It's not something as ambiguous like _karate_ , literally meaning "open hand," but more indicative of the fighting style's techniques.

" _... The Land of Fire shinobi like to use the Standard School style, a basic gateway to all types. With this style, the user masters no specific technique and instead uses moves allowing for ease of learning and teamwork. In contrast, the Land of Lightning like to use the School of Maim, which focuses heavily on hard-hitting and powerful strikes as quick and sharp as lightning or wasp stings. Damage is meant to be cumulative and moral breaking."_

I pick a style that can be versatile and start on the School of Waves: a style focused on moves that counteract and redirect opponent's techniques with little energy needed by the user, almost like waves. Scrolls for this are very few and basic, so if I want to learn advanced techniques I have to know where to look.

(" _You're one annoying Uchiha, boy_ ," a note said in my _Evolution of Taijutsu_ book. " _If you're so bothered by learning, be more careful. People take note of what gets checked out and I have been keeping an eye out for you. But if you want to learn the more advanced techniques, they will never be written in a guide book._ " The librarian then established that books such as _The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi_ are information mines of ninja arts.)

The School of Waves thrives on patience and mastering reflexes. Something I'm not good at.

I'll admit it — I see a fist coming at me and I dodge it. I didn't like fighting growing up because I knew I had to pay hospital bills and didn't have any insurance — nor did I want needles sticking me, _gugh_.

But I can't keep pretending to fight a phantom. Mama tells me how to make the Clone Technique, which is an E-Rank, Academy skill that generates an Illusionary clone. I don't think she intends for me to actually do the easy technique on the spot based on her wide-eyed silence.

The Clone Technique requires a very keen knowledge of the self. Chakra is more spiritual than physical, but both halves work together to distort light plus create colors and shadows out of energy. I quickly learn that the technique runs passively on my reserves and is tethered to me with a thin cord so long as the clone is in existence. Snipping that thin cord, metaphorically speaking here, cancels the technique. No information is retained, only used chakra that has to rebalance before it can be reused.

The technique probably takes a tenth of my chakra. Not bad, especially in combat. That would be really strange if the Academy taught ninjutsu to students that could leave them with chakra exhaustion.

Clone me stares back at me. It can't talk. It probably can't hear. But it shares whatever is the intent of my chakra and knows it's my training dummy.

Clone me throws a punch —

I flinch like a baby.

"Wait, wait, let me try that again!"

Clone me repeats, but everything time I falter and jerk away.

"Man up," I hiss at myself. "It's an E-Rank! It can't even hurt you if it tried!"

Clone me looks at me with pity. Clone me continues to throw punches and I force myself not to flinch. Once I finally get the hang of this _super basic_ technique, I can move on to actually learning for real.

Martial arts uses _kata_ , forms, to learn techniques. These forms drill standard techniques in different angles and targets instead of just repeating separate motions in unrealistic means. School of Waves has a few basic forms for me to do. A simple hand form, a simple kick form, a block form, and a mix of all three with different angles and directions involved.

Starting out with the first hand form, it's already reaching groundbreaking territory.

School of Waves does _not_ use fists.

Instead I use an open hand like I'm waving "Hi!" to the enemy. The "punches" I use are only palm strikes. If I mess up on a palm strike, I break my wrist. Simple as that.

The hand form actually centers over palm and elbow strikes. This style loves hitting enemies from small, sharp points of the body, which hurts like heck to the enemy but also for the user.

The first elbow strike I landed on my clone hit a stray book and left my arm numb for _too long_. It was funny 'cause when I moved, it was a numb but ticklish sensation, and it was super painful keeping it still.

My clone was treated to a man both laughing and crying tears of pain.

—kick forms are tough because the legs, though powerful, take a good deal longer to become more flexible and to increase its speed, unlike hands.

Too slow and the enemy snags your foot and possibly rips it off (the scroll said it, not me). Too fast... well there's not really an issue with that. As beginners are slow, we're told to kick and then _immediately_ recoil our leg back close to our body where the enemy cannot grab. If the kick is super turtle slow then, if anything, that recoil better be as fast as the Yellow Flash.

Proper kicking form is _essential_ to keep from breaking legs and toes. A lot of kicks focus on shin hits as the feet are sometimes outside the range created by the palm strike's reduced area. And if I mess up a kick, I've just broken my leg and lost the fight.

Repetition and muscle build-up is key: repetition to prevent sloppy techniques in the heat of battle and muscle build-up to both endure combat and to ensure the body can dish out higher damage without literally breaking. There is a big difference just practicing in the garage and being in the middle of combat.

After the offensive forms come the defensive forms, beginning with open-handed block forms.

" _The best case in scenario is to cleanly avoid hits. A block is not always a reduction of an enemy's damage, but serves to protect a body's sensitive areas that will kill the user if struck._ "

Nearly all blocks focus on redirecting the technique away from the user. This requires a lot of courage and faith you didn't misunderstand your enemy's power and got knocked out. Martial arts fails to be real useful if the user has as much muscle density as butter.

At this time, I realize I really need a shadow clone as a practice dummy. I need to actually see my strikes on a real thing and understand how much damage I can realistically cause.

I find myself hesitating to open the door to my father's study. Ever since I've been home, either he stays out late training or attending meetings from both the Uchiha Clan and the Leaf Military Police Force.

 _Well, why should I worried? He needs to stop avoiding his family._ I push open the door to see Papa meeting my eyes, a frown etched into his face that seems older than time.

" _Yes_?"

"Papa, do you know how to do Shadow Clone Technique? I need it to practice a new skill," I say with more confidence than I actually have.

Papa just... stares at me.

"That's a B-Rank skill," states he.

"I know," I nod.

"Only _jounin_ can successfully pull off the technique."

"Yes sir!"

"Attempting the technique with your low levels will certainly kill you."

"I thought so, too, but I have an idea not to use all my chakra," I say simply, ignoring the urge to give Papa a play-by-play. The gist of it is something that I kinda remember Sakura saying something about using less chakra than required to create a perfect technique.

Papa closes his eyes, breathes. Eventually, he says, "Tiger seal. Similar to the Clone Technique, but it is a clean division of chakra — a layer coats the outside to create a stable facsimile, the rest makes up the inside to give it presence and weight."

He learns over his desk, fixating his Sharingan on me. I back up a little, feeling myself flush from the red's intensity.

"But you do _not_ have the reserves for this technique yet. If you try this despite my warnings, you will be _punished severely_ , Takenaka."

"Y-Yes, sir!"

I flee to my room. Currently my brother uses the study room for Karada's lesson.

"I hate it when he's upset." Since my father has more of a presence in this house rather than the mother, if he's unhappy then everyone will be unhappy.

I flop on my bed and repeat the Clone Technique several times, trying to use less chakra than necessary for the technique.

Some clones come out particularly deformed. One appears with a negative color scheme and black dots for eyes. I cancel him _real_ fast.

I'm able to keep repeating with the chakra that returns to my system until my focus abandons me and it's back to learning taijutsu all over again.

At some point the sun rose and I have to be an actual person. I have to get out of bed and eat breakfast Mama prepared. My body is jittery, maybe a side effect of my abnormal chakra training. In my chair, my hands — curling, twitching, spasming to reform hand seals — start throwing paper shuriken made in the hospital. They hit the head of the Hokage or bounce off the walls and land on the floor.

"Don't practice in here," is the ever-familiar voice. "No training indoors."

"My mind is fried." I close my eyes. Bad idea. They will never open again.

"You're just as every bit your father, you know. You just don't know when to rest. So you can't complain about being tired." Mama sets something in front of me. I can smell sweet fruits, bitter fruits, and heat.

My mother crushed fruits and made them the filling of dough pastries reminding me of dumplings. I take my chopsticks and split the dough in two with some difficulty.

"When you get the time," I say, "do you mind teaching how to throw shuriken and kunai? So long as we practice outside."

She sets a cup of white tea next to my plate. "If you can show me you can rest and behave like a child your age, I'll consider teaching you. If not, my attention is devoted to Itachi."

 _Challenge accepted_. I make a mental note to do as she says sometime in the future. Maybe when I feel more competent with my taijutsu.

Mama stands and tells me she'll be fetching slowpoke Itachi when Papa suddenly appears at the stairs, telling us, "I'm leaving. May be gone for up to a month. Takenaka, you're in charge of protecting this home."

—what he really means is Mama. She is a kunoichi, if retired.

"Don't you want breakfast, Fugaku?" Mama lifts a plate where more of the steaming rolls lie.

"I'll eat out later." With that, he leaves.

She stares at the door without moving.

Today, I won't be training.

.:

Our first stop this morning is by the apartments. It has a weird structure. The building is a stretched out circle with domed roofs and has six floors. It takes up about three kilometers horizontally. The apartment office is actually the landlord's home, one of five homes the landlord has in the Leaf.

To our surprise, it's an old woman barely taller than my brother, white hair curled into a messy bun that highlights her receding hairline. Her black eyes are glaring at us and the sunshine as she says, "You don't look like you want an apartment. Well? What _do_ you want?"

Mama is taken aback by her tone. "Um, I'm looking for information of a previous resident? He died in the war recently and — "

"What's yer relation to him, 'uh? Ex-lover? I see enough of those..."

"No, ma'am! He's my son's godfather and — "

"Yer giving this man guardianship of yer child and this is the first I've seen of you? You _must_ be a new mother."

Mama presses her hands on her chest, almost in restraint. "Yes, well, my husband knows the godfather very well."

"Uh-huh. What's the name, lady?"

"Hakushi."

" _Hakushi_ , you say? He's dead? What a shame. He was a decent man. Get inside, you circus."

Cracking open her door wider, I feel like running away as we step further inside, surrounded by the smell of old clothes and perfume. We obey and sit on her couch. Hard rocks. It's _terrible_. It may be good for those with back support problems, but not for healthy people. Mama hides her discomfort well while Itachi glares at the landlady.

She sits on the couch in front of us with a large, messy binder in hand. Opening it sends a burst of dust into the air. She goes through the papers that look more ancient than scrolls before stopping.

"Hakushi. Renovated me 14 to 18. One day he packed up and said he was leaving. Never told me where, mind you. Just left."

That lines up with Seki's timeline, too. And since my father is 29, Hakushi just vanished for a decade just to meet me? To join the war?

Mama has her hands on her lap, face trained to resemble a ghost of a smile. "Can you tell me what kind of person he was? Anything you can think of?"

"Always paid on time when his missions weren't hectic. Usually brought teammates home with him. They were good boys." Her glazed eyes brighten and her pale face twists into disgust. "Ah... developed a nasty addiction. Couldn't stand that alcohol smell on his breath. But the kid learned to fake being sober after a good time."

"Do you know what could have triggered the addiction? When it happened?"

Papa said he drunk to become like the universe. Is it a lie? A lie to me from him? Or a lie Hakushi made for him?

"I keep records of my residents being off-kilter, lady. If some ninja has an episode, I make sure to fetch a Yamanaka to deal with them." I hear her finger slide across the paper as she reads. "Right here. About the time of his addiction. His teammates were irritating the residents with their shouting. I went to his apartment. They told me he locked himself in his room and hadn't come out for a week.

"If he was doing that, he certainly wasn't working. I wouldn't get my money. I told him to get outside and get his tail end in action. Life moves on. Either deal with yer issues or let them destroy you. Thankfully he chose to get over it. I tell you, I was _this_ close to calling a Yamanaka."

Mama asks the question I almost blurt: "Do you know how old he was?"

The landlady taps her chin for a long time before responding hurriedly. "...it was the second year he'd been here. Can't tell you what month, just that he was being suspicious. As I was saying, a month later, he fixed himself up with that addiction and started acting like a functional resident, so it was fine by me."

Most likely 15-16? Graduated at 12 going on 13, living alone by 14, addicted by 15-16, gone by 18. Returned at 28? I both know so much and so little. It's frustrating but also exhilarating.

And surprise. We don't learn much else from her.

"Fugaku told me he was worried about Hakushi all those years ago," Mama says once we're back out in the evening cool, stomachs full of super dry cookies and hot water. "He never told me anything specific. I, young, wasn't smart enough to pay attention."

Ignoring her poise, she lets her head dip in shame. That's not good.

"Don't be sad, Mama! All we have to do now is either find Papa's other teammate or his Jounin-sensei! Do you remember seeing them?"

Mama knits her hands and pace. "Oh... a few times, very briefly. Fugaku disliked other men seeing me before we were wed. Aha!" She points at the sky, possibly at the light bulb over her head. "There's a reserved area for standby Jounin-sensei. I can ask around. But since you two aren't ninja, you can't follow me."

"Going home?" Itachi says, too full of hope.

"Not yet, darling. Takenaka, go ask workers in popular shops. They may have seen Hakushi at some point."

Of course! With the heavy emphasis on family, most shops are family-run. People from small families are really disadvantaged in this world.

I ask along the street about Hakushi and find that I don't really know a lot of physical details. His _sandogasa_ hat shielded his face and his kimono was so plain and indistinct that no one would remember it. It's like searching for a ghost.

Even if I mention his drinking habits, nothing rings a bell. Many ninja must use that as a coping mechanism.

We regroup with Mama, her face looking eager.

"Good news?"

" _Uma-sensei_!" Mama quickly covers her mouth. "I mean... Uma-sensei. How could I forget him?"

Huh? Have I heard about him before? Mama is pulling me away, Itachi on my heels. Somehow I find myself _returning_ to the Leaf Hospital.

Before Mama gets to the front desk, I see Nurse Rie with a clipboard in hand. We meet eyes and hers start tearing up.

Weird... but I race to her side. "Hello! I'm on a mission."

"Oh? Is that so?" She sniffs.

"Yup. We're looking for a person named Uma-sensei."

Rie gasps and hugs her clipboard. "Uma? The professor? What for?"

"Apparently he's the teacher of my father. And one of his students died recently."

"Oh, don't tell me...!" She digs under her shirt's collar and pulls out tissue. The sound of blowing her nose reminds me of my band's trumpet section — she's not terrible.

I glance at Itachi and see my brother is unconsciously taking a step back. He's so unintentionally rude.

"Um... can we see Uma-sensei?" I say over her noise.

"Y-Yes, you can! Please wa-wa- _wait_!"

She sprints away, taking the smell of cookies with her.

Mama stops at my side. "You know that woman?"

"She's very considerate," I say with a laugh.

Before long, a man in turquoise scrubs and neon yellow socks under sandals walks up to us. His peppered black hair is braided back with colored beads. Pupil-less browns glare up and down at us.

"You are Fugaku's son?" Uma's voice is dispassionate. I can't tell if he liked or hated my father as he dropped honorifics. Either they were close... or Uma hated him. I nod.

"And you are his wife. The resemblance is uncanny. Very well. Follow." He actually beckons us like Americans do, which is _really_ rude in this world.

Still, we follow him into an empty break room. Uma plants himself on top the table and watches us.

"My student died recently?"

I nudge Mama to get her talking.

"Y-Yes. Um. Hakushi died last month. Fugaku is very torn about his death."

"No surprise there," Uma grumbles.

"We were trying to find some information about him for a memorial, and we realized all information stopped when he turned 18. Could you fill us in, please?"

His scowl deepens.

"I haven't seen your husband ever since Hakushi left. Once I do, he's my patient in the middle of the Third War, covered in blood and dying of chakra exhaustion. His dull eyes want me to make a miracle come true. He wants to return to his 'family'."

I feel sick. Maybe I should shield Itachi? He shouldn't... hear this...

 _Agh_... my head hurts.

"I tell him, 'Son, you look just as mad as Hakushi before he left.'

"He tells me, 'I got his head right here. You'll heal Hakushi, right, Sensei? He's still warm. I cauterized his wound.'

"I hit his head, knock some sense into him. 'He's not coming back. I'm sorry. But it will be okay. I have dealt with many deaths on my hands. We can get through this.'

"He just vanished, head in tow. I don't know happened afterwards. I regret not stopping him that night. When I agreed to teach Fugaku when he was 12, I never planned on seeing my student that enthralled in his own demons. If you want _any_ information about Hakushi, _promise me_ you will force that husband of yours to see me every month."

"I will." My mother's voice is trembling. Is that due to the pulsing throb in my body or reality?

"Very well. What do you want to hear? Why he left or where he left to?"

"Both, if you'd please, Sensei..."

Uma exhales through his nose. He folds his arms over his chest but leaves an arm loose to gesture. "Hakushi was an odd one. At first glance, he was normal, but he was missing out on an important part of growing up. He had often asked me about 'healing' his mind to fix what was broken, but there never was anything wrong.

"Tensions were high the months before he left. Hakushi had asked his teammate about wanting to pursue a more intimate relationship, hoping he would understand as a close friend. He firmly rejected Hakushi and laughed at his weird suggestion.

"Later, Fugaku had barged into the hospital in search of me, concerned about Hakushi who had suddenly hidden away from the world. After some patience, I talked to both of the boys with Fugaku out of the picture.

"Hakushi firmly believed something was wrong about himself. No one in the world would take him seriously. I kept telling him that no matter how many times I would use Diagnostics, nothing about him was wrong. I knew he thought I was lying.

"At that time, he began to drink all the time, using medical arts _I_ taught him to keep from damaging his body. He rejected reality, rejected help, and was convinced the more he drunk, the more normal he was. I decided he needed a distraction.

"I submitted an application for the Twelve Guardian Ninja and he was accepted. I gave him the acceptance letter and he left. Just like that. Hakushi told a few people he was leaving. Only Fugaku didn't know what happened. He attacked me in a rage, misunderstanding everything. At that point, Team Uma was no more."

Uma throws his hands up. "I can't tell you what he did in the Twelve. I had not seen him in so, so long. Fugaku would never believe me, but seeing the corpse of a student I thought I helped had hurt _me_ more than _him_."

Mama stares at the floor, hands holding each other, knuckles white. "That's how Hakushi died... that's why my poor Fugaku — " She breathes in sharply.

The pain in my head is unbearable. What the _heck_? This my body's response to my inability to cry? It's making my stomach churn and my chakra uncontrollable. My eyes are _burning_. If not crying would cause this much pain —

My brother's body is the only thing keeping me from toppling to the floor. Mama sets me on the ground back first, and the fluorescent lights magnify my pain tenfold.

 _Ow, ow, owow_...

I feel the pain all the way to my fingertips. Something is cutting into my mind, threatening to pull out a part of me, and my body resists with a power I never thought it had.

Trauma? Kanegasaki? My own fears? Whatever it is _s-t-o-p_.

—...

—...abnormal child... shouldn't hurt as it does...

—... _tragic._

"No." I'm forcing my mouth to speak despite the darkness of sleep coercing me to rest. "Don' wanna be in hospital. _No_."

— _don't worry. you're home now._

Eventually I wake up in my cozy bed that doesn't make annoying sounds every five seconds. The curtains are closed. My room is nice and dark.

And, to my surprise, I find my little brother and mother in the bed, at my sides. Itachi looks at me closely. "Tata. Okay?"

I rub my eyes, to somehow satiate the burn within my body, noting my mask is gone. "I feel like a tree hit me..."

What happened? There was Uma and Rie... but my memory ends there. My mind must not yet be alert.

"Rest, please," Mama is saying, making me lie down. "You'll just have another fit."

"Fit? What do you mean?"

"A side effect from your training accident. It hasn't been all that long. Your body is still healing — "

Right. I lost my memory of it. If I was screwing with chakra, there's no way my parents would be able to guess what was wrong with me. Considering how I spent the day with little rest and much chakra experimentation, the mental trauma probably did me in.

For now my chakra swirls in my body with a slight burn. It's resistant to my control. Mama is right. I need to rest.

I allow myself to dream again. But it's nothing but red.

.:

When Papa gets home, I'm still not 100% okay, but Mama filled me in what I can remember right now. I confront my father in his study. He hasn't had the chance to sit down.

"Are you sick?" is his first sentence to me.

I abandon all tact for pure shock value. "Papa, I _know_ about Uma-sensei and Hakushi."

He stares wide-eyed. I press my advantage.

"I don't know if it's your pride or — a-a fear of being seen as weak, but I won't let you keep suffering alone!"

(Dipping into Shounen Protagonist syndrome, a bit.)

"I hate seeing you suffer! So does Mama and Itachi. I'm sure other Uchiha realize you're hurting. Please, stop hiding it from us! You'll just become like Hakushi at this point — "

" _Silence_ ," my father _hisses_. "You do not understand the words coming out your mouth."

I keep going. "Maybe drinking won't be your escape. Maybe putting yourself on the battlefield like this is your addiction — "

"You are a _toddler_ — "

"Just like Hakushi, you'll drive everyone away and then you'll die with regrets! Ninja don't tend to live long! You'll die young, and I'll bury you before I'm an adult — "

"I do not need my immature son telling me this! As if you don't have your own shortcomings as well — "

We're yelling at each other — Karada told me this is the worst way to solve problems but we're both so fired up I can't find a good reason to stop.

"Don't you see the village cares about you! Just because we're Uchiha doesn't mean we're all alone in the world! Stop running away — "

"I do _not_ run away from my problems!"

Well —

I find my reason to stop shouting.

Mangekyou Sharingan. He got them... probably from Hakushi's death...

 _Ow_. I can't breathe...

"I face them head on with the powers I've worked hard to call my own! I would never do anything foolish that will lead to your deaths. I work harder in the war so that none other dies like Hakushi. I take on the name Wicked Eye Fugaku because I am more of a force than person. I will not stop until this war stops killing loved ones!"

The red hurts. The black barely decorates the red... barely hides its burn. My head.

"I miss Hakushi, I do. I should have taken it upon my hands to see that he got better. But I was foolish. He began to drink and I went along with it, hoping it would pass in time. Then he left without a word. He left to keep me away. He was deteriorating. He wasn't sane. Then he returns from nowhere, chakra almost completely different than before, just to see _you_?

"Everything was changed. But I didn't dare treat him abnormally. Hakushi could leave and be done with me forever. I let him drink, let him entertain himself, and the wars resumed. Yet another war in our lifetime. I _knew_ I would fail to protect him. We were almost strangers. My priorities were more selfish. Keep myself alive so that I can return home. Hakushi wasn't my priority. So he died."

— _oh no, Papa, please don't be in pain_...

—I'm falling to the floor, hoping it's not as hard as it looks.

—sense. I understand. I'm so stupid. 18 years in a domesticated world doesn't mean much in this world of death. Kids mature fast, wars mature kids faster, and I'm stuck in the dust.

—the black spots won't go away. I blink harder and harder

—"I'm sorry. I misunderstood everything again."

—ouch

—I should definitely apologize, maybe even bow. I look into my father's eyes and swallow the pain in my throat.

—tural. What the _hell_ did I do to break myself?

—"Takenaka!"

.:

The first of September comes before I finally feel normal again. I'm able to practice my taijutsu without almost fainting. I'm really tired of staying still. My chakra will become unbalanced if I don't become more active. Spiritual energy grows through meditation and reflection — things I've been doing too much recently.

Papa is still as fervent as ever with the war. Sometimes he eats dinner with us and chats. It feels normal. Most days we never really see his face. And then he leaves for many days at a time without ever telling us where or why. But he always comes back home.

My father is a strange one. There are somethings I know about him and things I don't know about him at all.

What boggles my mind is how _similar_ we are. Even without counting me, Itachi and Sasuke both worked way harder than children should have, with Sasuke working himself to the bone to be like his brother.

First and foremost: my father would not be allow to pressure my younger brothers into training hard just to be like me — provided I _do_ become a "prodigy".

In the end, I really know little about everything. About my family most of all.

I've always just thought about taking Itachi's place and murdering Danzou. Maybe even warning Shisui. At any rate, I want to stop Obito because I **know** I can't defeat Madara Uchiha.

Maybe I can stop the massacre by changing my parents? It sounds just as unrealistic as becoming a prodigy. But... if I can get my father to put the village over the clan, the coup will never happen — regardless if I fail to save Obito.

Still, the villagers do have a hatred for Uchiha. I'll have to prove to everyone that the Uchiha Clan is nothing to be afraid of.

So I'll smile and be friendly beyond clan walls, rather than be cold and taciturn. I won't wear dark grays and blacks, but something a bit warmer. Most importantly, if my little brother still has a dream to become Hokage, I'll definitely be the one to sow the seeds of trust between the Clan and village.

For once... I'll take my own advice. I can't do this alone. I need to find people I can trust to begin my plan.

Anyways, I surprise both of my parents this morning, as I officially drop Mama and Papa and change it to _okaa-san_ and _otou-san_ — a formal term. One can argue it even signifies distance.

"I want to become more mature," I explain. "Like you two."

Ma — Mother frowns. "You're so young. You can remain a child a bit longer, you know."

"There are times to be a child and times to be mature. This is a time to be mature."

Papa — I mean, Father doesn't say anything. I can't predict him at all. (My accuracy has gone down considerably.)

Before long, Itachi is copying me, too. Rather than call me Tata, he says:

"Big Brother?"

A _nii-san_ that has me fooled he's Sasuke for a moment. "Ah, um, yes?"

"Play puzzle with me," he basically tells me. "Don't train."

"Yes, I'll play a game or two with my Itachan." Frankly, I feel too sick to practice. I spend the day messing around with my brother with his games and reading books.

"Itachan?" I call as we put up the Sasuke Sarutobi puzzle.

"Hm?"

"I know you're smart, but don't ever forget: the village comes before the clan. The clan is family, of course, but within the village are hundreds of families. Families don't hurt other families, got that?"

He nods, black hair swaying, eyes practically saying, _I know_.

* * *

.: **THREE END** :.

 **Fact: I prefer to keep every Japanese word in English, provided it has an English equivalent. But I don't follow this for nin-gen-taijutsu because I feel no one really** _ **knows**_ **the English equivalent. Like, most people don't know what** _ **yarijutsu**_ **means, so I'll write Spear Techniques.**

 **At the time of this chapter, we've hit 100 plus follows and 50 plus favorites! Thank you all! I'm really happy about the warm reception. :)**

 **Here's a chapter solving the mystery of Hakushi and Fugaku! I've looked forward to this since ONE. I hope it isn't too rushed. I'll admit, I was too excited in writing this chapter.**

 **Actually, Hakushi falls under demisexual and had fears that he could never fall in love like a normal person. (But Takenaka doesn't know what demisexual is.)**

 **Thanks for the comments about chapter length. I like really long chapters, but it gets a little hard remembering what chapter has what information in it, huh? I would think shorter chapters are best for stories with lots of content. I think I may start smaller chapters** **—** **it depends. My word count tends to be 10k to 13k.**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter and enjoy this double update!**

\- 28 Jan.


	7. ZERO: FOUR

**A Measure of Darkness**

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." Reincarnation!OC

— Robert Frost, _Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening_

* * *

 **FOUR**

 _ **A Measure of Darkness**_

 _The Years Before Academy_ — _Takenaka, M.D. (in training)_

* * *

A mere 18 days of single-minded taijutsu practice passes all too peacefully to the point where I get _nervous_. Coupled with the fact Mother left one day and lied about where she went, my hair standing on end.

Sunday night, Mother; Itachi; and I all eat dinner. Mother interrupts the silence with:

"Don't be mad."

Which is why I stop eating and narrow my eyes. "I knew something was fishy..."

Mother keeps smiling. "I let you investigate Hakushi, let you train by yourself for a while. So I need you to do something for me."

 _No bueno_ and I grimace. "...that is?"

"When you were getting your seals removed, I spoke with a wonderful woman. She said I could admit you into medical school now rather than waiting until seven due to the medical draft!"

I forgot. During war, military and medical drafts are called, which lowers the age of attendance/graduation and accelerates Academy learning so that kids can be shipped off into war by the time they turn 9. I was honestly waiting until I turned seven before joining as if this were a time of peace. I thought I had more time...

"It was too late for you to join the first semester, but second semester starts tomorrow morning," Mother continues. "I was actually surprised by how much stuff Kanka already had prepared for you. She really wants you to do this!"

I groan.

" _Why_ didn't you tell me sooner?" A part of me cringes at my frustrated tone I shouldn't use on parents. "I-I could have studied and... I wouldn't have wasted my timed only on taijutsu or getting sick or — " _helping Father_ , but I don't think I regret that.

"Takenaka, you are four. No one expects for you to be incredible. All I want is for you to get out the home and talk to peers your age — outside the clan. I want you to stop being so heavily involved in your personal world and see life is beautiful. I understand you have been exposed to hardships, but that is not what life is all about."

She prepared for this. I stand down, amazed at her passion that colors her face bright pink.

"It's not healthy for a child to be under this much stress." Mother relaxes, pushing back her hair. "I really want my son to be happy, you know."

How could I say no to such a delighted smile?

—but I really don't want to do this.

I read packets and other papers Mother secured for me. At least now I won't be so caught off guard tomorrow morning.

 _... The spring semester first year curriculum (early April to late June) is split over three courses. Academically wise, students are under "the Building Blocks of Health", some of which features microanatomy (5 weeks). Medical applications (medicine without chakra) are very primer in this stage. Students are taught chakra control and 5 basic medical-ninjutsu in theme of the academic..._

My semester is the second, the fall semester. From September to December, I'll be under "The Human Body and Complex Organisms" which features gross anatomy, a term that defines how gross the human body is or the general overview of a body's structure (the macroeconomic of the health world). 7 anatomy-related techniques are taught and medical applications are a continuation from spring semester.

Reading more into the fall semester syllabus, I begin to see that medical classes works a lot like taijutsu categories. Rather than teach one thing separately under a fancy name, I'll learn a huge variety under a simple name. But, so far I'm looking at gross anatomy, regional anatomy, biochemistry, physiology _which scares me_. I put that stuff away.

I have my schedule for tomorrow.

 _MWF_

 _The Human Body and Complex Organisms_

 _(8:00-1:30)_

 _TTh_

 _Medical Applications_

 _(8:00-10:30)_

 _Medical-ninjutsu_

 _(11:00-1:30)_

 _Sat._

 _Reserved for make-ups and testing._

 _* 20 absences are permitted until loss of credit._

 _* Lectures are held in mornings and labs are held in afternoons (3:00). Labs can go on until 7:00 at the latest._

I get a nice, colored map too. It shows me the Leaf Medical School, consisting of a basic lobby no visitor can leave without a pass, the main entrance to medical school, study room, cafeteria, lecture halls, study rooms, and libraries. I'll have to remember that.

Finally I get in bed, head aching, heart racing, and I pinch my nose.

 _How did I even get in this mess?_

.:

"Rise and shine! It's your first day of school, Takenaka..."

This has to be a dream. Why is it so vivid?

My mushy head is throbbing as I cover my eyes from the _vicious_ light burning my eyes. I groan something negative to get the darkness to come back.

"Wake up, dear. You aren't going to the Academy." The super cheery voice has hands. Hands that grab me from my cocoon of darkness and hold me in their lap for the light to fry.

"What'd you mean?" My tiny arms barely protect me from the brightness.

"You're going to medical school, remember?"

—abort, abort, abort, this is _not a dream_.

"Huh? But — what — ?"

Mother walks me to the bathroom where everything is all set up: wash cloth, toothbrush, napkins. She brushes my hair. Without my eye mask on, I see how puffy and dark my eyes look.

Am I seriously doing this? My doubts manifest as words I'm barely conscious of.

"I... have to get stronger. I'm not... not good at being a ninja. I need to train now, while I still can."

I especially hate all the fits I've been having, forcing me to _relax_.

"No one is asking you to become something great. Remember I said to create your own legacy?"

"This is _different_. I _have_ to become stronger."

Most of my frustration bubbles up from me having to be circumspect about the topic. Can't very well tell her my brother is still likely to kill her. Since I didn't plan on decent excuses for my behavior, I'm suffering now.

Mother smooths down my hair and smiles at my reflection. "Takenaka, I _did_ help you with Hakushi and your father. Can you do this for _me_?"

 _Quid pro quo_. Once again, I think I've persuaded someone only for them to have used me as well. Ninja are too sneaky. I need to get better at tricking people.

But what's done is done. My body slouches as I resign myself to my fate. I wear the Uchiha basics: a long-sleeved high collared shirt and _monpe_ , black and gray respectively. Note to self: more colors. I tug on my black winter coat and, breakfast in hand, say goodbyes to my mother and brother.

It's been a long time since I roamed the Leaf without supervision. I'm all alone, to be taught independence. With my emblem hidden, people's gazes sweep right over me. Some shopkeepers who stand outside their business and shout promotions offer me good deals for their items. Having my emblem out had few people inviting me to stores in the past, although I was much younger then.

Hatred? Or... do they think the Uchiha would hate their products? I don't know.

I continue my walk through the village, occasionally playing with the bell from the weird girl, Aki Mon. I'm hoping that she'll be at the Leaf Hospital again so I can finally return this. It's basically collecting dust at home.

I make a left and into the gates of the hospital. Pushing open the door, a swift gust of cool air nearly knocks me over. I smooth back my messed up hair and walk to the front desk.

It's not Nurse Rie, but another, blonde woman who wouldn't look out of place with Yamanaka. Her brown eyes quickly look me over and, seeing no visible injury, a questioning look interrupts her calm expression.

"Good morning, little boy," she speaks, well rehearsed. "Are you visiting someone?"

"No, ma'am. I've actually come to study in medical school," I smile with how advanced my words sound for my age.

"Oh. Impressive! Starting young, I see." She searches through the papers on her desk.

Mother told a bit about medical school through her trips here while I was... not in the best of places. Medical school admits students at seven on-the-dot and permits children to a three to four year experience. It's really expensive, its tuition being the cost of high C-Rank or even below average B-Ranks. But due to the war, any and all willing students are permitted to enter at reduced costs (to which I suspect the massive economy boost) and _can_ be called out to war at any time if "Tsunade's precedent" is endangered. That said precedent is the rule that medic-nin should be applied to field-ninja teams to increase survival rates.

Luckily, first years were never called out. It gets a bit more ambiguous with second years and a certainty with third to fourth years.

Lucky for me, war is over in two years, when my brother is four.

"Yes, ma'am," I reply to the nurse. "I'm more interested in specializing in chakra healing rather than body healing. I'm really good with chakra control and I enjoy studying chakra in general."

"Woah, that's a little rare, don't you think? Ever thought about becoming a surgeon? Or do you just like diagnosing your patients' ailments?"

I rub my chin. "I... think I like being able to both find and correct problems."

The nurse laughs, _polite laugh number three_ , I nicknamed it: a laugh to keep conversations relaxed. "Be careful, little boy, that means _long_ hours. Say goodbye to your social life!"

"Do you work long hours?" I say. Then I decide on a cheesy line that would probably have girls in the old world glaring at me: "You look beautiful if you do."

She looks at me and struggles to fight off a huge smile. "Hey, you. You're, like, six and I'm sixteen. We can _not_ be a thing."

"I'm no flirt," and I add a hypocritical wink, "I just know when I see a pretty woman."

She keeps laughing, though not my expense. The ice has been broken.

The nurse hands me a small stack of paper she held over her chest qs we spoke. "The medical school is the assortment of buildings behind the hospital. If you get lost, follow the smell of perfume and giggles."

Definitely an inside joke. Alright. I skim the papers. "Thank you, ma'am."

"Who's your teacher? I might be able to help with the costs."

"It's — " Guess calling her just Kanka would be rude. _Sensei_ works in two ways: she's my teacher and every doctor is referred to as _sensei_. "It's Kanka-sensei. Her lessons are free of charge."

As soon as I uttered _kan_ , her eyes went wide and got wider. Her red lips form a perfect _o_ for a moment.

"Kanka-sensei? _Seriously_? Just how good are you? I-I-I thought you were just another boy wanting to pick up girls, honestly..." Her face flushes.

Is it _that_ exceptional? Both Mother and Father were surprised too. "Um, I passed the clay test, if anything. It was basically the same thing as Kanka's clay, but that's all the tests I received..."

I trail off as I see the nurse grow progressively shocked.

"You're a prodigy!" She claps her hands. "This is so cool! It's like Tsunade-hime all over again! I can't believe I get to see a prodigy at work in front of _me_!"

 _Aw_. Tsunade truly affected the hearts of many. It's a shame she left.

"Is the clay test _really_ that advanced?"

"Um, yes! For normal people! The clay test basically draws out raw, unrefined chakra. To have that much potential without even _using_ or _molding_ chakra is insane! Tsunade-hime can make her clay hard as boulders with one hand! Kanka-sensei has one of the best clay balls in the hospital and you _emulated_ her at six!"

She's practically bouncing right now. As an 18-year-old at heart, she looks really adorable.

( _Why 14 year gap_ why?)

"I didn't know..." I hunch up my shoulders helplessly.

Still... I can't be completely happy with that. It doesn't make sense. How could I have so much potential energy for medical arts within my chakra _naturally_? How come Tsunade is the _only_ notable medic-nin (aside from Hashirama, the First Hokage) in the history of the Leaf? In the shinobi field career, there are dozens of elite shinobi. Surely someone else can be just as amazing as Tsunade.

Something isn't adding up. Something is missing.

It's definitely _not_ my unusual soul. Tsunade is no reincarnated soul nor is Kanka.

Something I did within this world thoroughly screwed up my chakra, is probably connected to the reason I can't make nature transformations.

"Hey..." I begin, "do genjutsu specialists also do really well on the clay test?"

"No? No, definitely not. The test measures the potential of the chakra to preform regenerative techniques. Genjutsu — I'm not familiar with it, but I know that genjutsu potential is measured by how intelligent, creative, and observant a person is... plus, um... chakra control, obviously, but — but I think that genjutsu requires the potential energy of chakra to mimic.

"Least... that's how the saying was made," she smiles. "'Girls like genjutsu and boys like taijutsu!' Girls learn to keep up beautiful appearances and facades far sooner than boys do."

"But there's always an exception to the rule," I say, as I, too, know how to keep up my own masks.

"Yeah. But in general, girls are more conscientious. Their acne, their body weight, girl gossip, boyfriends, blah. Guys just deal with hiding emotions and coping with society's standards of masculinity in early years, usually. That's what my sociology class taught me."

So that's the most likely reason why _everyone_ said Sakura has major potential in genjutsu ( _still bitter she never learned it_ ). Sakura was pretty good at pretending to be a cute girl while hiding a vicious Inner Sakura, her true, if exaggerated, self. Sakura was intelligent and creative — especially when she fought Ino and Sasori. She was good at masks.

But, like Sakura, I haven't even touched genjutsu. _That_ couldn't be the reason why my chakra is fishy.

The only thing I can figure out is... _Ninshuu_.

It's sparsely taught and accepted. Most children immediately go for cool ninjutsu than the super slow-building Ninshuu. It was the first thing I taught myself. Which may have been a bad thing.

Ninshuu and ninjutsu are two very different things. Ninshuu is the art of selfless connection. Ninjutsu is isolated and greedy. Don't tell me... that my chakra is hardwired to _connect_ like Ninshuu than to perform like _ninjutsu_.

 _Please_ let that just be hysteria...

I don't remember saying goodbye or opening the door, but I do find myself a few steps away from the medical school buildings, all being about five stories high and strawberry-pink. There has to be an explanation for this.

I enter and immediately see Kanka with her lavender kimono and white coat — for the first time.

I blink as she speaks, trying to get rid of this sinking feeling.

"You were 30 minutes early but you babbled with blondie. We need to get your information prepared before lecture."

"Good morning, too?" Rather than responding, Kanka grabs my wrist and tugs me down a hall lit only by the windows from above. Then she enters a room to her right, and I see other adults sitting around two circle tables filling out papers.

Kanka takes me to the empty chair with stuff still scattered about on the table. "Here's your ID. Don't lose it. You won't have any access to the school section without it."

She hands me a blue lanyard: _Takenaka Uchiha. Age 4. First Year Medical Student. Kanka-sensei._

Oh, I remember this. This is the exact way Aki's ID was formatted. Her teacher must be... Uma, I think? Huh, guess I'll be seeing Uma more often... I hope he doesn't hold me to the same standards as my stoic father.

Then Kanka is giving me more papers. "This is your schedule" — she hands me a blue colored paper — "and your meal ticket" — a fancy tag with basic identification and numbers. "Lunch is paid for by me. There are several study halls positioned about. Some students bring games to ease stress. Here are your school supplies."

It's paper after paper until she reaches under her desk for a pure black backpack only _nerds_ wear! The thing looks twice my weight! Despite my protests, she forces it on me anyways.

I'm going to have back issues.

"Lastly, your white coat is on your desk. Unfortunately for you, you missed the white coat ceremony."

"The what?"

"Only students who apply for a typical school year receive them in spring. You've started in the second semester but will graduate in spring of next year, which is when you'll receive your official ceremony. It's really nothing major; more or less a starting school present."

Sometimes I hate learning new things because I don't know what to expect.

"Okay, Sensei."

Kanka makes a noise at the back of her throat, a haughty noise. Then she guides me out the room and right up the empty lobby.

"To remain in this school free of charge, to keep your secrets _safe_ ," adds she with a hiss, "you must remain in the 90th percentile and above in your class. If you are 85th to 89th, you will be on probation. 84th and below, you're out of here and your secrets are told, understand?"

My Uchiha Pride rears its ugly head. She's forcing me to not slack off. Forcing me to become a total nerd, which is okay in the shinobi side of things where _not_ being a nerd will _probably kill you_ , but this is just medical school!

"I know nothing about medicine! You can't expect me to be a genius. My so-called 'talent' is on the field," I complain.

"All I'm telling you is if you feel that way, you must not care about your secrets."

She's _cold hearted_.

"Your class has 172 students from the ages of six to eight," she continues. "You'll need to be in the top 17 students if you want to stay here. It's their first year as well, but unlike you, some come from strong medic backgrounds. You're clever enough to scope out the future valedictorian, aren't you? Emulate them. Perhaps you'll succeed. Or you'll fail miserably."

Kanka uses her ID card to open a seal with the Kanji _to lock_ on it. She throws open the door.

"Welcome to the Leaf Medical School, best in the entire world."

—all thanks to Tsunade, said so on the map's right corner.

Plus, the difference between 2D paper and color is a lot different than reality.

(Huh. Kinda like me being born in this world.)

Everywhere is red and white and wood tones. The floor is dull which probably keeps the sunshine from bouncing off and blinding students. Windows are everywhere. Ceiling are massively tall and far away, due to the suggestion of bigger ceilings meaning better learning conditions.

The school emblem is a diamond with flat and rounded vertices. Inside, there are two thick lines similar to an equal sign. Just below the white emblem painted on the walls and floors is: " _Medic's Tenet: Be Calm, Remain Focused, Know Limitations_ ".

Aside from that, the school smells of sharp cleaning products and a mysterious, bitter undercurrent. Everywhere are children in white coats wearing lanyards of different colors. Some are seven, some are 14, and all walk with a sense of purpose. They _want_ to be here.

A teen falls in step with Kanka and me, red lanyard peeking out his whitecoat's collar. "Sensei, I worked with my mentor last afternoon. He gave me a medical problem I've yet to figure out."

Immediately, I say, "Is it lupus?"

He gives me an odd look. "No... it's not lupus."

I start snickering.

Kanka tightens her grip on me, possibly telling me to shut up. "I'll help you during the break. I've got a lecture in ten."

"Yes, Sensei." He looks at me again. "It's rare seeing Uchiha medics. They're incredible field shinobi. We've only received three Uchiha medics in the past decade."

"Oh... well, everyone wants to be a field ninja, really," I offer.

"You as well?"

"Definitely. But maybe I'll be a surgeon part-time."

"You'll do us medics a great honor. Everyone's been talking about the four-year-old who got into medical school for free."

 _Oh no._ I'm already famous? Everyone is going to have high expectations from me.

"I'm really not that amazing," I tell him, peeking at his lanyard to see his name: Yoshi. "I just have 'high potential.' And that won't matter if I'm terrible at this stuff."

(Kanka has a death grip on my hand. Word to the wise, probably not best to piss off a woman who knows more about my body than I do.)

"Don't give up so soon," Yoshi says too quickly, making me suspect he just magically assumes I'll become a prodigy. _Yeah, right_. "Hey, tips from a third year: study in groups. First year is the hardest and your social skills will take a nose dive with solo study. There have been students who snapped under loneliness. Don't be that guy."

I nod. With a quick goodbye, Yoshi walks off.

Kanka watches him briefly before making a right down a long corridor that opens into an atrium full of students. Some are sitting in chairs, reading thick books, some are talking, and most are waiting next to double doors.

Kanka lets me go and I follow her inside one of the doors.

The room is lit by small, squared fluorescent lights. The desks are basically concert band arcs around the main desk and chalkboard. There's already a lot of children inside. The ones who look really similar crowd together and chat. There are the scrawny kids who read and annotate thick packets.

My seat is in the very first arc on the edge. A white coat is draped over a soft chair. I hold it up, wince at the light making the white more intense, and slip on the newly washed thing.

In this hot room and this cotton thing, I'm totally going to sweat. How do doctors wear these things all day?

Kanka is at her desk, no doubt preparing for our lecture, and answers kids who crowd her desk.

I drop my papers on my desk, try to make them a little more bearable, and dig through my back to see my supplies. Thick notebooks, thick scrolls, a _whole bunch_ of pens and pencils, and three textbooks that are bigger than my future.

I drop to my seat and massage my temples.

 _What have I done? I can't just do this! I'm not prepared! I should be at home studying! I need to beat Itachi and becoming a medical-nin won't do me much good!_

Even if I make it to Academy and score top ninja, the top kunoichi will probably know medical-ninjutsu way better than me. _Ughh..._

"Are you alright? First day jitters?"

"Huh?"

I look up, temporarily blinded by the white — that's going to get annoying really fast. Her face eases my eye pain with her cinnamon-hued skin and darker eyes.

 _Sumomo Yakushi. Age 7._ That last name sounds familiar.

 _Socializing with peers that aren't Uchiha. Alright. Just act normal_. These kids are probably smart, and we can talk about medicine to break the ice.

—if I weren't so tired, I could actually think and smile properly. Ah well.

"I said, are you okay? Look kind of sick, too," Sumomo says with a tilt of her head, sending brown curls tumbling over her shoulder.

"I'm... nervous," I say, not really feeling like lying. "I don't know what to expect."

"Me neither. _Mother_ taught me some things, but I'm mainly here for my brother's sake," she explains, throwing me off with her Japanese pronunciation of _Mother_. I'm so used to focusing on Japanese. Why does she know English?

Aside from that, I keep the conversation going to get more clues. "Your brother?"

"We're not actually related. My sister — not related either — doesn't want to teach him medical-ninjutsu, so I've decided to learn it here and teach it to him at home. He's got a lot of potential already."

"Oh..." There's a lull as Sumomo hops over the desk and into her seat next to me. She practically slaps her teardrop-shaped bag on the table, making my entire body quiver. "How old is he... your brother?"

"Five — at least, that's what _Mother_ said. She kind of deduced his age from his bones. It's weird."

He must be adopted! "You don't know anything about your brother, do you?"

Sumomo sits up and leans into me. "In my defense, he doesn't either! And I've only been his sister for a few weeks!"

I lean away. "Okay, okay. Anyway, how much is your mother paying for lessons?"

"Nothing," she settles back into her chair and shifts through the red bag for multi-colored highlighters and notebooks. "Danzou-sama says he'll pay for my first year and if I do really well, I'll be able to apply for a year-long apprenticeship under him, so you won't see me next year."

 _Danzou._ _ **Danzou**_ _._

He wants Sumomo in _Root_. I don't know if I should warn her or let her do her thing. If she's that good Danzou's _interested_ , I can benefit from learning with her. But if I intervene, Danzou could pull her out of this school and her future could be ruined.

 _Almighty Push_. No matter what, Sumomo's fate is doomed.

Maybe there's a third option somewhere? I need... time. Time to think. I'm too focused on Itachi and Obito. Sumomo is an afterthought. _Don't get overwhelmed... not everything can be fixed alone..._

I clear my mind.

In and out.

Focus.

"...which is super good, 'cause just one year of tuition at this place is literally a B-Rank, just an average one," Sumomo is saying. "And only Jounin or really good Chuunin get _those_ , so that's a scary problem I don't have to deal with — "

I nod idly while planning out the fastest trip to get here and back.

Maybe if I learn to run on rooftops, I'll shorten the walk from my home to here by ten minutes, assuming my speed is twice as fast as my running speed.

A Body Flicker is instantaneous, though. But I have to learn that, and I don't know if I have the amount of chakra to do it. My body can suffer a day of chakra exhaustion. It won't be really healthy, though.

 _But_ bathing at night, making my hygiene routine 10 minutes, taking breakfast with me, then hopping on rooftops, I'll take 35-40 minutes. Which means I don't have to get up until 6:50 to 7:00.

And if I sleep at midnight, I'll have at least five hours to train Monday through Friday. Thankfully Saturday is a half-day at most and Sunday is a break day.

I jot down my ideas and then my first lecture begins. All eyes are on Kanka. Her eyes are on us.

"Settle down, settle down. The more time you waste, the more homework you'll receive." Almost instantly, everyone shuts up. "Thank you. So, I see some faces are gone. I see new faces as well. Let me introduce myself. It's a pleasure to see young children eager to learn, to either benefit hospitals or to benefit field shinobi. I am Kanka. My primary profession is that of a 'baby doctor'. I care for babies both inside their mothers and outside. I've worked as a wet nurse for many clans for almost two decades now. Believe it or not, I was, at one point, Tsunade's mentor."

There's no doubt that she's older than Tsunade.

"I've always been attracted to children. It was almost law that women in my family had to produce many children, as longevity was very poor. I was born unable to ever become a mother and I took to medicine to find the reason why.

"As for you all, why do _you_ want to pursue this career?"

Hands shoot up into the air.

"I want to become a pathologist, Sensei! I want to cure everyone!"

"Girls just usually _do_ this, Sensei..."

"I'm using this as a gateway to poison techniques."

"I friggin' hate war and dumb violence! Like... I wanna heal people, you know?"

"I want to help retired shinobi cope with career-ending injuries."

"I'm taking this class for a prerequisite to psychology."

And so on. Everyone in this room is passionate about being here. I feel guilty for my dislike of medicine. Just saying something to sound passionate isn't the same as meaning it. Easier said than done.

I sit up a little straighter.

"Great reasons," Kanka says. "Now, then. "I'm going to tell you three things. Firstly: you are going to see more naked men and women in this hour and a half than in your entire life." I start chuckling with everyone else. "As medical student student, it is tradition to go up to a non-medical student and boast about how many nudes you've collected."

She says it so blankly, it's hard _not_ to laugh...

"Secondly, I will refer to body parts in layman's terms during the first month, but you are required to learn their proper names. That means calling the thoracic region 'chest place' and cervical vertebrae 'back bumps'. It helps with memorization. _If_ you use it properly.

"Thirdly, you are going to think you're dying most of the time. You are going to over complicate natural body interactions as diseases. A slight heart tremor already indicates a dozen diseases, most of them being deadly. Please calm down. You are most likely _not_ dying and if you _are_ dying, this is the best place to do so."

I am laughing again. I thought I hated her. Why is she funny? Genjutsu?

"We will spend the next three days reviewing the syllabus. You have homework tonight that is to be finished by Thursday. If you don't do it, you suffer alone."

Our homework is to read chapter ten in our textbook. I glance at it, see that the vocabulary isn't that bad for children. Because of the relatively not complicated sentences and words, I can read it pretty fast, but I doubt I'll retain much information.

" _Chapter One: Introduction to Anatomy_

"... _Anatomy became very popular rather quickly. During the Warring States Period, shinobi stole and dissected corpses of enemy and ally alike. Some shinobi were curious of Bloodline Limits and some wanted the chakra of enemies._

" _By the time hidden villages were created, there were many shinobi who fully understood the anatomy of the body. Hashirama Senju and Mito Uzumaki are often cited as the founders of medicine, for these two alone crafted many of the medical techniques and procedures performed today..._ "

I can't say I'm surprised. Really, it's to be expected.

Kanka continues to explain briefly the topics of our syllabus. I jot some super useful notes and star things she says will be on the test (three weeks, go figure). She throws a few curveballs by asking questions and interacting with us.

At one point, I get to hold a skull. Its owner is _Izuna Uchiha_. Kanka specifically highlights the dents and cracks left in the eye sockets when Izuna "plucked his eyes out in a fit of madness, and was killed shortly after".

I don't even remember the full story of Madara and Izuna. All I remember is the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan. (I would say _Kaleidoscope_ Sharingan, but kaleidoscope is hard to spell and is super long.)

The hardest part is keeping myself awake and actively listening as she keeps talking and talking and talking...

Then five metals taps: the bell.

Kanka concludes and children crowd her desk. Again.

I rub my eyes and yawn. "Wasn't so bad."

"Biochem's kinda tough, though," Sumomo replies, mouth full of food. "Lotta math, lotta fat words. Hate that stuff."

" _Same_."

I eat my forgotten breakfast, happy Mother made food that wouldn't spoil. Granola with dried fruit. I sniff it, figuring I should train my nose while I eat. Better sense of smell means food tasting way more yummy.

Part two lecture starts after the 30 minute break ends. Kanka makes a brief, funny preamble about biochemistry being 99% math and physics and that 1% is reserved for if biochemists find anything not math. (Kanka says they haven't.)

If anatomy is what our bodies are, physiology is the ingredients and concoctions that make our bodies work and achieve _homeostasis_ , a fancy word for balance.

It's harder to fall asleep as I'm writing formulas and mnemonics to remember them. Though we talk about the syllabus, I feel as if my head is melting from all the _i-n-f-o_.

I take a nap during the break before the final lecture. Sumomo wakes me up a minute before it begins. Out the seat I go, standing and stretching, grabbing my syllabus, muttering, "How are we supposed to remember five classes every week?"

Oh, wait, high school has eight classes every week.

Nevermind.

"Chakra science is the least tangible and observable science," Kanka starts and sips water. "It's a very recent science as most couldn't really determine much of chakra other than Eye Techniques and sensing. For a long time, medics assumed just teaching ninjutsu to shinobi would be enough. Who needs to explain chakra, right? But pathologists have determined that even _chakra_ can get sick like your organs. Chakra is very, very important to medicine and should not be ignored."

One kid is shouting, "Saburou Sakana realized the first chakra congenital disease!"

Con— _what_?

"Yes, he did. He's a famous pathologist and you will hear his name often. Whereas Tsunade-sama is the princess of medical release on a physical body, Sakana is the father of chakra ailments. Most notably, Sakana's death is highly debatable. Some call it an accidental death. Some call it suicide."

"What'd he do?" says a girl.

"Well... the Mist refused him any more cadavers to play with, so he used his own body. He gave himself the chakra diseases his patients had and fully documented symptoms and how the tangible body was affected. After years of doing this, his immune system could not longer keep up and he died to his own devices. The Land of Water holds the original Compendium of Chakra Diseases, but the White Fang successfully stole its secrets during the Second War."

 _Wait a minute_ , I read this! So I recite, "'Sakumo Hatake's cunning nature made him the only ninja to be removed from clandestine services and made into a visible hero. His actions stopped the Mist from creating chakra-based warfare and instead made them despise Bloodline Limits and Bloodline Selections.'"

But history has always been so _vague_. One minute he was in the beginnings of ANBU-not-ANBU (referred to as "clandestine service") and then he was a famous war hero. It was like by magic. I read that paragraph so many times, wondering how "... _In his Chuunin years, the Hatake made his mark in clandestine operations and little is known of his achievements_." turned into war hero Hatake.

In reality, Sumomo hits my shoulder, grinning, whispering, "I'm sitting next to a _smart guy_!"

"Correct." Kanka continues to ignore my existence. "Unfortunately, this class won't have labs as it is nearly impossible to observe chakra without it being a genetic trait, so lecture time is the only time allowed to discuss chakra..."

Even to natives, chakra is confusing. Or... maybe ninja are just really tight-lipped about secrets. Regardless, no one else has any prior knowledge about chakra. Many faces ignore her and start tonight's homework or sleep.

I nudge Sumomo mid-lecture. "Do you know the class ranks?"

Sumomo was doodling a picture of dumplings on her notebook before I interrupted her. "I'm 11th in class! I'm really proud of myself, you know! But, like, the top six spots are all members of the Yuami Clan, Migaki being number one."

"Yuami Clan?" My clan rarely, if ever, speaks of other clans.

"Those guys pump out medics like crazy," she says with puffed cheeks. "All they do is brag about how many people in the hospital are Yuami! Half Yuami, quarter Yuami, Yuami by _marriage_ — they're annoying little tarts."

If the top 6 are from a clan of medics, then I won't have much luck trying to get higher. Unless... somehow I can befriend one? Or _sneak_ my way into their family?

Once lunchtime comes, I look for the Yuami Clan. All six of them sit next to each other, looking like copies. Everyone of them is tall and slender with long fingers and tiny noses, very mouse-like in appearance. Their skin is as average as any person, as well as their hair being very ordinary.

Near the center of their chests is undoubtedly their clan emblem: a stylized Kanji meaning _panacea_ , colored a soft green.

They are five rows away out of the 18 rows (10 students per arc) and diagonal to my right. If I'm correct, I sit just outside of their peripheral if they glance among themselves and Kanka. Should they look left at the quirky medical posters and proverbs on the wall, I may be visible. Or maybe not if I continue wearing Uchiha blacks and grays.

From my spot, I listen to them, occasionally "glancing" out the window of the back wall and letting my peripheral watch them. Only two stand out to me.

 _Migaki Yuami_ , quiet and timid yet held in high esteem. He seems to be valedictorian and his clan won't let him forget it, constantly teasing about beating him for number one. Poor kid barely eats.

The one leading most of these thinly disguised threats is _Hideri Yuami_ , a boy with puffy eyes and a white beanie to cover his thin hair. Out of them all, he stands the tallest, speaks the loudest, and is quick to get fussy over being called saludictorian.

By the way they quiz each other over terms that makes my mind feels like it's being scalped, I have no chance in making the top 100 of 172 — let alone 17.

Sadly, I must divide my attention between enjoying lunch and studying.

Afternoon lab isn't a lab at all. We spend an hour going over lab safety, etiquette, safety locations, and future lab dissections and experiments. We must learn the rules for a week before transitioning to watching others do labs. By week three or four, we should begin our first project depending on how quickly we move.

The kids who were here in the spring semester did a few low-leveled dissections and learned a few medical-ninjutsu techniques, general skill D-Ranks — Genin level.

At that point, I start to realize that medical-ninjutsu in this world is directly similar to band in my old world. Everyone said only nerds learn music, and only geniuses (and Asians) played instruments because they were smart. Girls who take medical classes usually end up being the best kunoichi in class or one of the best — see Rin Nohara and Tsunade, for example.

I wonder if every future doctor or nurse here are just as eccentric as my band family. There's Sumomo for starters.

She helpfully stays after school with me in a study room, teaching me some of the techniques I missed, totaling four D-Ranks and one C-Rank (a high Genin, low Chuunin level).

To start, she puts a dead rose on the table in the middle of us.

"Yin Release," the Yakushi says with a wink, "Hydration."

The seals are Ox and Rat — two seals that require the spiritual energy to slightly overpower the physical energy. Ox is a "grounded" hand seal, which basically means performing this seal sets chakra pretty close to standard. Barely any movement. Rat, used a lot in Nara clan techniques, is a creative and imaginative seal — a quick but strong surge of spiritual energy for _ideas_ (whereas physical energy focuses more on being tangible).

I can perform them without too much hassel. I'd been working in hand seal speed for two years, hoping I could eventually use one hand then none by the time Itachi is 13.

"Good," Sumomo grins, lopsided. "So! You got the chakra molded right. Now you got to give it direction. For this technique, make the chakra as fluid as possible and the body'll react to that chakra and turn it into real water. See..." She goes through the two seals and repeats the name. The flower's stem turns from an ugly brown to bright green under her touch.

"Well," I smile, "here goes."

My chakra is buzzing from the Ox and Rat. Turning my chakra into something imitating water is easy — just don't expect any Water Release — and as Sumomo focused on the stem, I focus on sending this slippery chakra outside my body and to the rose itself.

It's an intermediate skill I learn with Father: the ability to control chakra outside the body.

I only poured about two-tenths of chakra and it's enough to have the shriveled brown turn plump and cherry red under my fingers.

"Woah! _Cool_! First try!" Sumomo dances in her seat.

"Yeah, guess so."

Of course, now I'm busy thinking, _How can I determine how much chakra to use for an effective technique without asking?_

I don't plan on being overly reliant with my Sharingan (provided I get one) so I have to know how much chakra gets me what. I'll have to do trial and error on more dead roses then.

"—sensei said you use this for treating dehydrated patients or patients with too little water filtered in certain body areas. We can't experiment on people, so plants and fish for now," Sumomo is rambling.

"Got it," I nod, taking notes so I don't waste brain space for this. "Next?"

"Oho, you're a cool dude. Anyways! We learned Yin Release: Dehydration. Guess what _that_ does..."

For this, the seals are Ox, Rat, and Rabbit. Rabbit is usually a very quick burst of chakra and luck would have it either make a perfect technique of make a horrible one. Chakra isn't meant to be twisted as fast as Rabbit, making it one of the harder ones to learn — figured that out by experience, too. Don't let the easy gesture fool you — the two hands represent fortune and misfortune.

Carefully I preform the seals and tap the rose head I just hydrated. Here's the weird part: I can _feel_ my chakra and the natural energy of flower. Even the artificial water that the cells are actively using. I have to use my chakra to pull or suck in that energy and water, leaving the rose back in its natural state. The natural energy rejects my pull unlike my chakra flowing to meet the rest of my energy.

My fingers feel tingly.

"What did Kanka-sensei say about this?" I say, still watching my fingers.

"It's the opposite of hydrating? Real talk, it's just use to get rid of excessive water. I mean, dude. It's _so_ hard to balance the water you take or make! You have to really know how your patient works and a Pulse helps sometimes."

Here we go. The good stuff. "Pulse?"

"It's, uh... let me see... chakra feedback. Push a little chakra into the body to react with its chakra, get a feel of the area you're working on."

As an example:

Kanka is a beginning medical-nin. Her patient's finger is dehydrated, for some reason, and she needs to use Yin Release: Hydration. The issue is that two much and too little will hurt the finger, so she needs a good balance.

Not knowing what his balance is, she Pulses. Like echolocation, the chakra she pushes into the patient's finger reacts and imprints on her chakra like fingerprints on windows. From that, she can gauge the body's balance of chakra and the internal body condition the chakra picks up on.

Basically, in this instance, chakra is wind and the body's functions are the leaves swept away. Getting smacked with those fluttering leaves in the wind is Kanka.

"That's difficult?" I say, playing with the now-living rose.

"Totally! You have to be so sensitive to your own chakra! We spent April and May just on about balancing and Pulsing! Then Kanka-sensei added hydration and dehydration, so we talked about osmosis and the properties of water for another whole month. Then we had to read four chapters over water and the body during the break..." Sumomo looks ready to die.

That is cruel. Forcing kids to spend their two month break working? Actually... happened to me in America for our summer breaks. No surprise there.

(Although, I have a lot of studying to do.)

.:

I haven't seen any family members in hours.

I got home, ate, and went to my room for studying. Armed with my three textbooks of knowledge, I began to read; annotate; take notes; draw — _everything_ I could think of to retain a lot of knowledge in short term. I pushed past my arm and finger soreness from all the overuse, pushed past the extra burst of chakra I gave my limbs and digits to give them a little more _oomph_ , hoping that chakra can work as ATP on steroids, and my entire arm stings dully.

How long had I been pushing myself?

I got home at four. Looking at the old clock on the wall, I see it's well after three o'clock.

Nearly half a day's work. I am _nowhere_ close to be finished.

This is a bad idea. I can't do this —

"Focus. If I give up, I'll be able to do this."

 _It wouldn't hurt much if they knew my chakra isn't right. That I practiced ninjutsu before I was four. Trapped chakra in my little brother._

"I won't be in anyone's debt anymore," I vow.

Yet my voice trembles.

.:

Not even a day passed and I've become a nerd that reads thick packets before lecture starts. Today, Tuesday, is the latter half of the medical first year curriculum. _Oh boy_.

"Hey-o, smarty!"

Sumomo jumps over the table and into her seat. I don't see how she can wear such a hot white coat in the late summer.

"You look real pale," she comments, so close our noses nearly touch. With her close proximity brings the smell of lotion and sweet fruit she had for breakfast.

I duck my head to avoid the smells... and two owlish eyes. "Been studying. I'm pretty sure I haven't eaten since last afternoon. My stomach is throbbing."

"Hey, just eat _and_ work!"

"That's too distracting."

"Then... eat while you're going to the bathroom." She looks completely serious. That's naivety only children are capable of. I forgot.

"You don't eat on a toilet, Sumomo," and I smile brightly so she'll know I'm teasing not forcing. "Not healthy. Or smart."

The girl's grin widens with her shrug. "I mean, you got to survive! Can't be picky."

I continue studying in my wait, occasionally listening to Migaki (stammering) and Hideri (guffawing).

"Studying like that is kinda tough, no?"

Sumomo is breathing down my neck as she stares at my first semester medical workbook.

"How do _you_ study, then?" _You got number 11 somehow, huh?_

She slaps down her own textbook and flips to page 48, same page as me. Only her notebook looks like a rainbow barfed on it.

"Red is for vocabulary, blue is for funny facts! Purple is for concepts that go back to bigger concepts — AKA cell diffusion leading back to osmosis. Asterisks are repeated information, snowflake-kinda-things are really hard stuff. Double underline is important information! And..."

—which is only the beginning of her explanation. Her system is so elaborate she needs a _key_. But her super organization skills makes scanning a page easy. With the colors and subtext added to once bland paragraphs full of difficult words mixed with harder concepts... becomes a multi-layered experience. Scanning a word under this system can tell me the importance of learning it, the word structure and meaning, cool facts to help in memorization, and more.

I grab the huge assortment of colors out my backpack and start copying her system. I get to page 20 when Kanka begins her lecture of medical applications.

"Are you tired of memorizing thousands of complicated names and even more complicated process that just seem as if they don't matter?" begins my teacher. The audience responds warmly.

"Well," she pauses, "congratulations; you're going to do the exact same thing with medical jargon, skills, and equipment. Sucks for you. Walk out the door if you hate it."

We're all silent, atmosphere feeling betrayed by the hope that was rudely snatched away. No one leaves.

"That usually gets kids leaving..." the woman murmurs. Sitting up taller, she announces, " _Good morning_ , students. Today, we'll be starting our 2 week course on medical applications."

"2 weeks" really means 12 lecture days (as the Leaf's working week is Mon-Sat). Those lecture days can be broken up and separated with official days or weeks in between. That's the explanation as to why we're learning about basic stuff then not revisiting what we learned until a month later.

Chakra applications are one-part giant packets that explain simple things in such _intricate_ detail and one-part interactive learning. Last month, Sumomo had learned about how to rescue a choking victim (and broke a rib on the practice dummy, sparking a controversial debate on whether or not a healthcare professional should break their patient if it saves them).

Today we only learn about physical equipment used to monitor patients. After three days of this, we will shift onwards to chakra-based equipment.

This is an easy A, but I can't get my hopes up. _Everyone else_ thinks this is an easy A too.

.:

Medical-ninjutsu. I am going to learn about medical- _ninjutsu_.

Really, I'm glad to being learning ninjutsu in general. To most people (me included), ninjutsu is the easiest of the Big Three (...taijutsu, genjutsu) because all ninjutsu start with three steps.

The first step is chakra control. It doesn't really matter how much control one has, just that they need control.

The second step is proper chakra molding techniques, which is learned by mnemonics. _The Handy Guide to Hand Seals_ established hand seals are the combination of the spiritual energy created when mentally imagining every Zodiac animal brings combined with the physical energy of moving and replicating the mind's ideas.

The third step is direction. For the Fireball Technique, I need to be able to conjure up my chakra in my mouth, ignite it, and _burn_. Once performing the single seal, Multiple Shadow Clone Technique gives the direction to slice chakra as many times as possible (if Shadow Clone Technique is anything to go by).

...in other words, chakra control is numbers. Chakra molding is knowing the passcode to a super-secret safe can only fit 10 digits and — depending on the technique — you have a few numbers but no concrete pattern. The chakra direction tells you exactly what the passcode is from using those numbers found by chakra molding.

Then you're cracking open that safe and getting whatever it is inside. In my case, it opens to free Wi-Fi.

In the end, if a person can understand those three steps and can complete them sort of okay, that's pretty much all it takes to be a stereotypical ninja in this world. Civilians think of us as chakra-coated individuals who eat energy for breakfast on kunai. Heck, most average ninja don't even bother messing with taijutsu or genjutsu.

I find ninjutsu easy.

It's not really an advantage, though.

To even _be_ in medical school, a person needs high chakra control. As soon as they perfect molding and direction, I'm basically screwed.

Performing techniques on the first try is the norm. Performing them _perfectly_ is a little rare.

My goal to be better than what I predict of my future Ninja Academy classmates won't fly here. I have to be better than a medical student. _Migaki Yuami_ in particular, who pulls off every ninjutsu almost perfectly.

It's scary how most of my competition aren't even _field shinobi_ but future doctors or nurses.

(Doctors that helped me when I got injured loads could have killed me at any point...)

"Last month, we spent a while over choking or hanging victims," Kanka says. "A basic skill any decent medic will know is how to get oxygen into the patient's body. Migaki, review with the class."

Her command leaves no room for question. Migaki hurries to his feet and stares at the steps as he lightly taps down them. He stands before us all, not daring to gaze at his family.

On the table before the Yuami is a practice dummy. I can't tell what it's made out of from here. Migaki forms and hold hand seals with deliberation, surprises me when he says, "Hypoxia Treatment."

He rests glowing green hands on the dummy's biege chest, which still doesn't give me any clue of what I'm looking at.

Kanka belatedly chimes in now. "Excellent. A basic skill, Hypoxia Treatment. Do you remember what this technique is? Used for?"

Hideri's voice is the loudest, causing other voices to die off. "It supplies the patient with oxygen by taking oxygen out the air and transferring into the heart and lungs. There, the circulatory ensures the oxygen moves to the rest of the body."

"Correct. How can this technique kill the patient?"

"Transferring oxygen to the wrong heart chamber! Veins going into the heart don't need to be oxygenated but arteries do," a girl says — Hideri actually glares at the ginger.

"Right."

I'm at my seat repeating the Ox, Rat, Snake seals. The spring semester textbook explains how Hypoxia Treatment works in more detail. Coating my hands with chakra that glows, I can feel the Rat-like yet materialistic Snake seal being the one to latch onto oxygen.

It's probably something dealing with chemistry or physics — moles and ions, maybe — but the chakra can't snatch away oxygen, only copy. That oxygen becomes one with the energy around my hands and I'm able to transfer this energy to the body if I had one.

This technique is one of the more draining ones. It requires a constant flow and concentration unlike the "snap" of Hydration and Pulse.

Another technique I missed: the C-Rank... Blood Coagulation Technique. Rabbit, Rat, Snake gives birth to the technique that allows for blood clots to form.

" _Activates chemicals to get blood to perform coagulation, reducing blood loss and start blood clotting. Things such as paper cuts require minimum any effort and arterial wounds require expert level medical-nin and very quick action. The technique must also stop the hormone before it can be cancelled, which some medical-nin forget. For that reason, this is one the more advanced skills for first years._ "

So I can't actually perform the technique because its direction is unfamiliar. _What_ hormone? _Where_ does the technique affect? Et cetera? As the first semester was all about "The Building Blocks of Health", my classmates know more cell biology than I do in two lives.

 _Again... it wouldn't hurt to quit_ , says an insidious voice. _The only thing that can come from this is that chakra within Itachan. You won't become a better ninja._

I _know_. Maybe this is stupid and useless. I've only wasted two days with this. It wouldn't hurt to quit now.

All I am to these people is the _four-year-old who got into medical school for free_.

—Sumomo is poking my shoulder.

"You're so good at this stuff!" she whispers. "I totally watched you do Hypoxia Treatment. So why you look so sick, huh? Still nervous?"

I am looking at her big eyes. At the same time, I don't register them.

"I should probably walk out the door."

" _What_? I don't get it! Why quit at something you're good in?"

"This isn't about my skill. It's about enjoyment..."

It's about utility.

"Can't you stay at least one semester?" Her eyes are painfully bright and — _wow_ — they have that wild gleam, like Obito — back at the beginning of our _whatever-to-call-it_. Sumomo grovels just like he did. "You're my only _friend_ here! It's my fault — don't leave me alone! Pl-Please..."

Their voices bleed together and I'm not sure who spoke or is speaking, but I do hear myself say quietly, "Okay..."

How could we be friends after two simple days?

How _lonely_ is she?

Whatever the case, if I am going to be trapped here, I'll make my situation as convenient as possible.

"You're going to have to tutor me every afternoon until I'm all caught up," I add, a bit giddy I'm not the only screwed person.

Sumomo bobs her head in agreement. "Totally! I'll do whatever! Trust me!"

.: **END** :.

* * *

I'll try to get too technical as that can become really boring.

As of this chapter, 12 months remain until the Kanabi Bridge Mission. Our Uchiha is understandably frustrated because he feels as if he is no closer to remedying the situation. _Can_ Obito be saved? How? If he's stuck in medical school not learning vital ninja techniques, he definitely can't save the day.

\- 28 Jan.


	8. ZERO: FIVE

**A Measure of Darkness**

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." Reincarnation!OC

— Robert Frost, _Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening_

* * *

 **FIVE**

 _ **A Measure of Darkness**_

 _The Years Before Academy_ — _Stress and Sorrow_

* * *

 _For the next month, medical school takes up 18 hours out of 24, leaving me with a whopping six hours of sleep Monday through Friday. Saturdays and Sundays are off—complete Saturdays if there's no tests and I don't have to make anything up. I've got to prepare for Academy lessons, too..._

It had been a while, but I had covered the Ninja Academy's academic and physical curriculum with Marui, a woman my parents hired as my tutor. Marui expected to just give a slight nudge for a clan heir, but I blew through four years of Academy curriculum, only really struggling with third and fourth year math, as it creeps steadily towards high school math (the bane of my existences).

But, there are lots of things beyond that the Academy teaches. The Leaf Medical School, when not in war, requires that all students be seven and enrolled in full-time study—the Ninja Academy. The medical students in the Academy work shorter and slower days, coming down here after school lets out to work for a few hours and head home. With Sumomo and I staying so late in the Leaf Medical School (taking full advantage of it being open 24/6—you know, Sundays), we run into a group of them. Or... they burst into our study room.

Eight girls ignore our presence and huddle together, chattering. Unlike our lanyards and white coats, they wear casual clothes and smell like sweat and metal. Even though I try to study, I can't help but hear their words in the quiet room.

"— _Miki_ thinks she's so cute throwing shuriken, you know? She knows just how hard every boy in class is watching her—"

"I can't wait for the cultural trip in two months! I've, like, totally planned everything out! If I can just get my _prince_ to be my partner, I'll be set..."

"—okay, so, I took a quiz on where to place my forehead protector yesterday, and I got waist! You think a belt looks good on me? I have _no_ waist to speak of!"

They speak of things I couldn't learn sitting in a desk. Hands on activities I only read summaries about—aside the forehead protector test thing. (Sounds interesting.)

To be seen as a genius, I need to be good in them, _too_.

I have to further breakdown my schedule: medical school and _vital_ Academy training.

 _So, 12 months in a year, right? Itachi really proved how amazing shuriken and kunai are, so I'll spend four months mastering that. Tracking and outdoor skills aren't a big thing until year two and three, so a little every month will be fine. I've also got to study my math again... maybe in six months? Nine...?_

 _What about ninjutsu? There so many techniques I want to learn! I have to get good at that. If I practiced every day, I'll be a pro before graduation..._

And so on, until I take more notes on my future studying methods than I do medical ninjutsu.

I stop.

I'm light years behind everyone else. This is _not_ the time for procrastination.

In two weeks, the first exam will be held on Saturday, an estimated length of two hours.

Since beginning, naturally I've gotten grades on homework, participation, labs, and lectures. Here in the Leaf, grades follow a different system.

 _F_ is a grade from 0 to 30. _D_ is a grade from 31 to 50. _C_ is a grade from 51 to 70. _B_ is a grade from 71 to 80. _A_ is a grade from 81 to 90.

 _ **S**_ is a grade from 91 to 100.

Ds and Fs are still failing grades and _not_ something I should ever get. The average students in class range between high Bs and low Cs, with Migaki being a high A.

Because here in the Leaf, getting an _**S**_ on anything is about as common as white hair and purple eyes. In reality. Not anime.

For the exam, if I want to be in the 90th percentile and beyond, I need to get at least a high B. Odds aren't my favor when Kanka so "carelessly" told me nobody, not even Migaki, managed an S on an exam. If a boy born from a medical family can't get an S, I'm totally screwed.

(I feel light-headed.)

.:

Even though I'm struggling, life moves on. Everyday I don't meet my quota, Kanka heaps on more homework from the current semester for me to do. And since I'm getting grades on _them_ , I have to prioritize it over catching up... only leaving myself further behind.

"What the heck," I mumble as I rub my eyes. _It's like I'm in a race and while everyone has two legs, I've got an anaconda and no legs. And am blind and deaf. And dying._

Remaining in medical school pleases all the women in my life: my mom, Sumomo, Kanka, and that cute blonde I see at the front desk sometimes. (Maybe she's not important, but still.) At the low cost of driving me insane.

But, I don't know, it's sort of cool? Getting down and dirty with blood and guts. I can't really feel the subject-of-the-day's texture or surface with gloves on, and it gives me an off-balanced sort of vibe, but still intrigued.

That said, I'm not a big fan of medical applications. Not entirely.

Some unlucky kid is our test monkey. Kanka ignores how pale his face has become and holds up a basic seal paper. "This is?"

"The seal for recording vital signs, signified by the kanji for 'life,'" shouts Hideri Yuami over the all voices calling out similar phrases.

"How do we use this?"

"Attach it to the area located nearest to sternum. Drop a small bit of the patient's blood," recites a high-pitched girl voice.

" _A small bit_ can mean almost anything. Surely you remember it's eight drops of blood," the old woman chides with a suspicious narrowing of her eyes. "Today, you'll take turns using the vital sign seal. Ue remains apart of my team, and seven others will join us."

Sumomo and I get lucky enough with our friendly dispositions that we don't end up in Kanka's group. That then means our medical applications lab team consists of seven strangers.

"I wanna wear the seal!" Sumomo calls, clambering up onto the small table before us.

The eight-year-old Azayaka holds the vital sign seal—the VSS (though the abbreviation is different in Japanese). Upon seeing it's Sumomo who's his patient, his face turns red.

I nudge him. "What's up with you?"

"Well... she's a girl," Azayaka stops.

" _And_?" My smile widens. "We've seen plenty of them naked, huh?"

(And me being super immature, I couldn't stop laughing when I got home about it. Sadly, this is most I've gotten from girls.)

"Yeah... but this is realty... and she's before puberty, too..."

"Holy Legendary Three— _give me_ that!" A tiny girl with her hair tied back in a bow-like bun snatches the paper, reaches up Sumomo's yellow sweater, and fidgets with something unseen before slapping the paper down with an audible _smack_. Sumomo giggles ("Your hand is cold!") despite the invasion of her privacy.

( _Then again, Japanese people_ do _like public bathing_...)

"Blood's covered," says the girl, waving a slightly bloody scalpel. "Don't know if a bandaid will cover the bleeding..."

"If not, we'll just do the technique for coagulation," another comments.

Azayaka's face loses the color it gained. "Okay. Now we link..."

"I'll do that," I say, because other than a vague overview over this, I really don't understand how the equipment works.

Azayaka presses an identical VSS small enough for my wrist. He pulses chakra and removes, leaving a stain just like a water tattoo. "And you just need push chakra..."

I do so—

 _lub-dub, lub-dub, lub-dub_

There are two hearts within me, one beating a bit faster and being a bit fatter. And it lives within my wrist. Next it's the spasming of lungs, the muscle constriction of peristalsis, the weight of her veins and arteries giving me a rough grasp of her blood pressure.

I feel like two people coexisting as one.

 _It reminds me of_ _ **Itachi**_.

How old was he—two months? I was screwing with Ninshuu and _connected_ with him. I did it to my mom a bit later and she _never_ explained what I'd done.

This feeling is nearly identical, just less intense and localized to my wrist, not my core. We're connected. _Connected_.

"—there, dude?"

It's Sumomo clapping her hands in front of me. Very subtly, her heart picks up a click from worry.

"It's weird," I practically cough and force a smile. "I can feel anything that has your blood in it."

She taps the white of her fingernails. "Nothing?"

"Nothing."

She pulls her hair. "Nothing?"

"I felt your scalp a little."

"That's so friggin _weird_!" She giggles.

The VSS gets passed onto different students. While they comment on how weird this all is, I rub at my own seal before pushing a bit of chakra into the VSS, the energy being transmitted from my other thumb.

Sumomo scratches her chest while she watches Azayaka's horrified expression.

I can see the silvery blue strings linking my seal to her chest, though it vanishes when I move my eyes too fast. Very carefully, I send chakra through and once I feel it in her, I let the chakra mesh with hers.

Sumomo glances at her chest, shakes her head, talks to a girl.

She's a soft, chocolate brownie fresh out the oven. Sticky yet moist. Gentle. I can _almost see her heart and lungs underneath muscle and nearly transparent bones_.

Talk about déjà-freaking-vu.

I retract my chakra. But I still feel Sumomo's chakra spiraling languidly within her.

I've got _questions_.

I try to remain normal and not experiment as we all get a try. I'm nearly last. I draw my own blood as Sumomo tugs my shirt and presses the seal on my chest, ignoring my discomfort.

Azayaka is the first student connected to me. Everyone said they couldn't feel the "receiver" (the one not wearing the seal on their chest) but I _can_. Slightly. It's muffled. If I really try, I can feel Azayaka's cool chakra that moves with a tight, quick energy.

"This is the easiest essay to write!" Sumomo shouts, punching the air after ripping off the VSS attached to my chest. "Then I'll help you after school and I'll spoil myself for working so hard!"

I ignore the urge to rub at the sore spot. "Is that so? How are you going to do that?"

She winks as a curl forms on her lips. "The kunai scrimmage at the Academy! It's nearly _October_ , Takenaka! It's kunai season!"

"O-Oh..." _Never heard of that, either._

I let Sumomo leave early. I have business to attend to.

After class is over and no more students are at her desk, I ask _her_ a question, "What's the history of medical-ninjutsu?"

The old woman stops shuffling her papers into neat piles to stuff in her many folders. Kanka arcs a brow. "War happens. Sickness happens. Humans don't like that. Ergo, this."

"That's not history."

"It's common sense. Why does history matter?" She stands up behind her desk, towering over me.

"Because—" _Should I tell her?_ "Because some aspects of this are influenced by Ninshuu."

Kanka snorts and her dark eyes bore into me. She wins the eye contact battle. "Ninshuu was the start of humans and chakra. No doubt some techniques use it. Even _if_ those were the dark days of shinobi."

In this world, Ninshuu is a dark stain. It's slavery, it's conquering islands and raping their women for the hell of it, it's World War II. A dark stain in history most like to pretend never happened.

(It did.)

"Father said it's a coward's doctrine," I say, folding my arms over my chest, "but... won't the Leaf make better medics if they had Ninshuu training?"

She snorts. "No Ninshuu teacher is going to get anywhere near the Leaf. Ninshuu and shinobi do not mix."

If she was going to be this cynical—this conversation is useless. "Never mind. See you tomorrow." _Already late for homework._

"I know you, Takenaka. Better than you do yourself."

I shift my gaze from the exit to her face. "Don't get arrogant. I read a chapter about burn wounds. Says I was supposed to get antibiotics and a slap on the wrist, not three weeks in the hospital."

Kanka smirks, more hellish than mischievous.

"That was my doing, of course. You hardly look surprised." She puffs out her already enormous chest. "I was your attending physician. I used those weeks to fully monitor you with sophisticated equipment and observation, far better than being a wet nurse. Let me say, you have the makings of becoming a phenomenal medic..."

 _Bittersweet_.

Yes, I want people to see me as a prodigy.

No, I don't want her to see me as a prodigy.

This is all so annoying and testing my already thin patience with days of constant anxiety.

"I don't want to be a medical ninja," I grit through my teeth. "I need to be studying Weapon Techniques and actual shinobi tactics, not just this. I won't be your butt monkey."

"Exactly _why_ do you hate something you were born to do?" Kanka snaps back, her fury actually making my hair stand on end. "You have _every one_ of the factors that makes a medical-nin! High chakra control, expert understanding and manipulation, _latent_ potential for any medical technique, extreme chakra cohesion— _others_! If you quit complaining, you'd no doubt surpass Princess Tsunade!"

"Because you're not getting it! I don't _care_ about better than her! You do! _You_ want to beat Tsunade-sama!" I hit my hand on her desk as I gesticulate. The pain doesn't register.

"Wrong! Until I met a child who had far greater potential than Princess Tsunade, I'd long since given up on being better than her. The least I could do was train students that she would be proud of. There are _men_ out there that will kill to get all the blessings you have that you take for granted!"

—a part of me thinks she's lying. Sakura Haruno is nothing like me. Yet she became great. It's because of _hard work_. Kanka only lies to make me work hard. All I have in this world is just an old, domesticated soul... that can still be considered a child.

A metal noise, rough and uncontrolled. My body seeks out the source and find it's only Yoshi in the doorway, looking between us.

"Um, Sensei... could I speak to the boy? I mean, it's already late and you're busy."

Kanka pushes me towards him. "I've no qualms."

The medical school is only busier at night as the older students flood the halls with their clerkships and late night study sessions. Yoshi walks slowly, arms wrapped around his clipboard, muscled chest rubbing against the noisy papers as he moves. I irritate the now sore spot on my hand, feeling it heat up uncomfortably (increasing temperature to fight infection? inflammation? blood clotting? _this is going to be on the exam and I forgot_ —).

"You don't know this," Yoshi starts after our silence. "You're really popular here. _Really_. Like, every old medical-nin talks about you, hope shining bright in their voices. We haven't gotten a golden medic in a long time. That's not to say we're producing bad medics—everyone here is a faceless hero, basically. Shinobi from all disciplines have so many famous ninja, while we only have three, and the world has less.

"It's sort of a prison of our own making, though. To be a medic requires such specialization. Then the coursework turns more away. Then the grossness of it all. It's really hard to find students who want to be more than just average, you know?"

He smiles, which brightens his pale, fatigued face a bit. Doesn't do a darn for mine.

"We're all really excited, is all. We've spent nearly three decades looking for someone else to shine... and _he_ comes waltzing up to our door—four and Uchiha-shaped. We give him tests he doesn't realize and see he passes them _without meaning to_. Tests that people struggle to do or even make As and Ss, a boy does it effortlessly. If the medical department didn't snatch you up immediately, you'll never realize how amazing you are."

I sigh-groan. " _What_ tests? What'd you test me on? Don't give me that patient privacy BS."

"Well," Kanka's student spawn starts in a chuckle (that ignites a strong impulse to shove him within me), "Kanka-sensei reported her observations. Then you landed up in the hospital twice, so while you were unconscious we did our more... invasive tests"—Yoshi winces at my glare—"but when you were awake, we tested you, too. Those three weeks you were stuck in the hospital was a huge exam. Sensei told the higher-ups that we should campaign for you, and you simultaneously proved why we should and blew their minds when you took it a step further."

 _Oh, really_? All I recall is boring, boring days and Nurse Rie.

"Is that so? Just how did I manage to do that without knowing?" I resist the urge to roll my eyes.

Yoshi smiles a smile that can only lead to giant monologues. "We received word from the Inuzuka Veterinary Records about deer submitted by Fugaku Uchiha and Shikaku Nara. The craziest thing was that the dead doe, slated to be used for dissection of deer originating from Earth, had your chakra inside her. Mainly around her frontal lobe and hippocampus. It wasn't residue. It was pure, alive, mostly healthy energy."

Quickly I run through my chakra but I don't feel the deer like I do with my brother sometimes. Nothing. No connection to it. Well, her.

Yoshi continues. "There were signs of a chakra-based connection. It was identical to the experiences of your brother and mother. Had we not suspected you all along, it would've looked like a surgeon operated on all of them—a not very good one, but still."

He chuckles.

"As early as _two_ , you grasped chakra surgery techniques that takes nearly four years in residency training to master— _that_ 's after up to five years in medical school. You were _nine times_ as advanced compared to a normal medic at 18. At that point, you became the star child of the Leaf Hospital."

Holy Almighty Push.

I didn't—I couldn't know—

"Yeah, okay," I murmur. "I have a high potential. I get it now."

Maybe I'm just selfish for not wanting to be a medic. I don't like it. It's not bad. It's just not where my interests lie.

But somehow I've become a medic favorite just for the _possibility_ of beating Tsunade. At the very least... I'll ride this until everyone is convinced I'm not as amazing as they think.

But why did I have to be a prodigy in _this_? It's so backwards. Reality is bogus.

All that medicine is good for is healing. I want to be the one damaging my enemies so that they go to hospitals. Not be the one healing the wounds an enemy made to a ninja that wound up in a hospital. In RPGs, medics and white mages are just a support role. They aren't made to be in the focus—which is something I need.

"Even if I hate this," I say, "will you really just let me go?"

Yoshi averts my eyes for the first time. "I... doubt it. You've already proved how useful you are. Whether it means brainwashing you or ransoming loved ones... the Hospital will get you. It's easier to just accept fate and hope they'll find you useless eventually."

By the time I get home, the stars are twinkling. The smell of hot food invades my nose.

"I'm home," I call from the entryway, slipping off my sandals and trading them for slippers. The cotton soothes my sore heels. "Studying took a while, is all."

I hear my mother's muffled, "Welcome back!" and Itachi's quiet attempt at repeating her.

The dinning room is very plain, like I remember. It feels a bit cold, bit aloof. But I see my mom's warm smile and Itachi's black eyes dance under the lights. My dad has his arms crossed and nods in my direction.

I sit next to my brother and we eat. Tonight is meat night. The meal isn't as fancy as it could be because of war screwing up trade, but fish and chicken meat is better than no meat at all.

"So," I say eventually, twisting my chopsticks in my hands. "Somehow... the entire Leaf Hospital thinks I could be the next Tsunade-sama."

I don't even have to look hard to see my parent's amazed faces. I do. It's a little funny to see Father's mouth slightly ajar. I'm glad even the Uchiha respects the Legendary Three Ninja.

"You're only four," Mother weakly replies.

"Yeah. And they say that ever since I was two, I was doing techniques it takes up to nine years of studying to do. Specifically, surgery techniques."

Now they are confused, probably because this is their first child and he's shown that he's a prodigy in the making. What if I had a daughter and she was smarter than me by four? Well, I'd feel a little cheated out of life... before being _super_ excited! She could do so much. Become so much.

Mother's face is pure joy; Father's frown slips up into a small smile.

"That's great, Fugaku! I knew our son was a talented one."

"Yes. Yes... Fireball Release, complete chakra control, now this. He is definitely my son."

That's _all_ I've accomplished? I feel like I should be working harder.

"And blue fire at that! My boy is a genius, alright."

—my good mood hits me like a freight train.

.:

Sundays are my days to practice vital ninjutsu—after my chores, of course. The Clone Technique was a snore to learn. Transformation Technique isn't that much different. It's the same direction as Clone but without separating that chakra. The downside is that because the technique doesn't use a finite chakra amount, energy steadily drains from the body.

Both techniques require amazing understanding of human proportions for human-like portrayals. Be a Van Gogh. Or... was Wolfgang an artist? He sounds important. (No wait, he was in Music Theory classes.)

All that leaves me is the Body Replacement Technique. Thankfully, turning into a log doesn't require quite as much detail as mimicking humans. Without asking anyone, I figure out the technique on my own.

The Body Replacement Technique is a version of Body Flicker Technique. It's a little bit of physical energy being used to transport the body and to create a log solid enough to be hit. It's little bit of spiritual energy being used to keep the illusion of a ninja that is still there. The technique is one of the many multi-tasking ninjutsu, being a bit more complicated than it looks. But the technique is a vital skill I should learn by heart.

Even so, it's a pretty funky idea. Ingenious, but still funky. First a ninja finds a safe place to land. This can be visually looking at the spot to remembering where the spot was, down to its DMS. Then the ninja sees if they have enough chakra to go the distance and, if they do, how much will it take? In general, a fifth of chakra is used for every 500 meters, up or down or left or right. Since most don't really go far, a ninja can spam this technique. But that'd be boring, cowardly, and disrespectful.

A second thought process begins with the start first thought process. A less complicated one. Chakra gets ready to do two separate things. It gets ready to move the entire body to the designated place (easier than expected as the entire system works overtime) as well as leaves a nice little surprise in the ninja's place.

The only weird part is the physical energy feedback. It temporarily divides a ninja's body into two separate sensations before it recovers itself.

To train to use the technique, I sit down and teleport a mere 50 centimeters. As I do that, I focus on creating a log in my place. I don't really start making progress until my 10th time, when I manifest the 50 centimeters away, _but_ I'm sitting next to an illusion of myself sprawled on the ground.

It looks dead.

There are no shadows on the illusion.

It lies next to me.

 _Friggin' creepy, dude._

From then on I immediately pop the illusion and now I have a surplus of logs in my room.

The next morning I eat my morning rice and chat to my brother. Mama walks up to my room and I don't realize this until I hear: "Takenaka, _why_ do you have so many logs in your room?"

I pale.

But then I see Itachi stare at me, hopelessly confused. My brother doesn't know what a Body Replacement _is_. He might suspect I've gotten into lumberjacking.

I laugh hard. It hurts to breathe. I slap the table in hopes of taming my guffaws but it does not work.

Mama eventually explains that the logs will pop after 24 hours. But I should be careful as always.

Itachi still looks at me oddly. I snicker.

Later on I realize my baby brother doesn't, or didn't, use logs. He uses _crows_. I'm left speechless at the ingenious idea. It leaves the enemy open, surprised by the sudden murder of crows. It's loud. Chaotic. Disturbing.

I think hard on what can be just as disturbing and chaotic for an enemy to witness. The only thing that comes to mind is a decision influenced by Kanegasaki's fall: _blood_.

At least... something similar to it.

I know it'll be unbelievable to, say, stab a kunai through me and see _red_ everywhere from one cut. But blood is supposed to stay inside the body. Seeing so much outside and so unexpectedly may mess with a few heads. Probably even those who regret their kills deep down. Blood, like crows, is a purely psychological tactic to slowly wear down the enemy mentally as well as physical—

Itachi, you **genius**.

I don't fully understand how my brother works (will work? worked?), but I feel I'm getting closer. When Itachi fought, his skills weren't completely for show, to drive Sasuke insane. Everything he did—it's all to install fear in his opponents before even engaging in combat. Almost like he _didn't_ want to hurt them with violence. Like a pacifist as I know.

But _why_ be a perfect weapon and _not_ want to fight? My brother's brilliant in combat tactics and strategies, a quick learner. But, I swear to Pain, he is absolutely hopeless in reality! My brother is a typical, asocial, naive genius.

I wonder how he learned the basic ninjutsu. I wonder how normal kids learned them.

I rest in my bed just contemplating before the silence is too annoying. I have an idea, and it involves me running to the door and lying, "Kanka-sensei said she needed me today! I'll be back soon!"

My destination is the Ninja Academy, though mostly deserted aside from the only remaining kids being in clubs unfortunate enough to meet on a Sunday. From the gate that blocks off the campus, I watch would-be Genin practice kunai throwing for their kunai meet. As I recall, fall begins the kunai and shuriken season. I guess it would be like football, track, volleyball, and more. Though unlike the latter, the name _really_ doesn't communicate what the game is supposed to be.

In the teams, only Academy students second year and up are competing. The kids throw their bladed beauties eons better than I could ever copy with my paper weapons.

One brother-sister duo tease one another with such immature quotes that I wouldn't doubt they're eight, 10 at the most. The sister is really good at throwing fancy tosses with twirls and curves in midair. The brother only has sheer power on his size. Looking a little closer, he's not all that different from me. His voice is still girly, his height is only a few centimeters smaller than me, and his clothes are plain and simple—easy to copy if I were to use a Transformation Technique.

He's also a really easy-going kind of guy, rarely speaking to anyone other than his sister.

 _Oh_! I have an _idea_. I know it's downright stupid. Still, I think I have a way of getting lessons from a person besides my mom.

The next Saturday, I get done with my make-up homework and leave medical school early. Even the Ninja Academy has half-day Saturdays, and it will be closing in two hours.

Before I round the corner, I used the Transformation Technique to mimic the civilian kid I saw last Sunday. I even drew his looks and wrote down some quotes to say.

Honestly, though, before this scheme, I never transformed into anything except for what I looked like before I died. It's just what I know best.

So I find out there's a big learning curve to the Transformation Technique. First off, the body you see isn't the thing you've grown used to through your whole life. You can touch and be touched thanks to physical energy picking up the slack where nerves can't reach, but your brain knows this isn't your body.

I practiced moving as him for 10 minutes everyday. It's not normal... but it's not horribly unnatural. I'll settle for that.

I rush in through the front doors and _plea_ there be no sensors. Luckily it's that man Mom and I talked to in July. His jawline is still amazing.

"You're late," he chides. "A half-day is _still_ important. Do you want me to report your truancy?"

I just bow deeply and bolt out of the lobby. All I want to do is find a classroom and slip in.

Not so surprisingly, the classrooms are all soundproof and the sliding doors hide what the room may look like. The only thing I can see is the gym and the classes learning outside.

I head for the gym. It's not soundproof and it is _loud_.

Opening it, I see I've wandered into a sports competition. Every kid wears a different emblem from their village. Geography lessons with Marui leads me to correctly guess all competitors are in the Land of Fire and only from villages closest to us.

I hide under the bleachers and watch them compete in kunai and shuriken challenges, ranging from target practice and climbing to chakra assisted throws and capture the kunai using only shuriken.

It's no surprise the Leaf ninja end up in first place. The competition lies in who gets second place.

I watch them all throw, all in their special ways. I watch how much energy it takes, where the weapon goes, how perfect or imperfect the throw is. I mime the motions and recall how the Weapons Technique book described them.

After all the fuss is over, I help with clean up and nobody cares. Partially because of the victory high. Partially because they're not going to question extra hands to make clean up quicker. I pick a few up, the cold; slick; razor sharp shuriken, and throw.

It's... so bad I laugh.

"Oi, brat! You suck!"

It's a woman shouting at me. Slowly, I turn.

Her nametag is placed prominently on her large chest—red vest: _Asuka Sarutobi_.

Her dark mane is thick and messy, her face and arms more hairy than most women. Her forehead protector is tied around her waist and leaves a tail-like ribbon behind her. With her short shorts and tank top barely hidden under a windbreaker, Asuka looks absolutely ready to run a marathon.

She looks like the love child of a beautiful monkey.

I never thought I'd think something like _this_.

She trains her deep browns on me as she closes the distance. "Throw like you mean it! If you're not giving it your best, you'll just get _shit_!"

 _What's happening_.

I grab another shuriken and throw that more deliberately. It's an okay throw.

"Oi vey, you're still crap at it. Look, keep your skinny arm straight when throw. Don't flop your wrist that hard. Aim and throw, but just be aware that the shuriken will hit lower than you throw—that's gravity for ya."

"Er, thanks," I say, wondering if it's out-of-character for the boy I pretend to be to smile.

"Thanks _what_?"

"As-Asuka-sensei..." I try not to make it question. She seems satisfied by her nod and relaxed gaze.

"Now," Asuka says more mildly, "practice 100 throws."

"Huh?" She's definitely talking to _me_. _Que_?

"Watch it! We Leaf have a winning streak of five years! I won't let some funny boy ruin it! _100 throws or I'll make it 1000 throws_!"

I had no intention staying here longer than necessary, in this form of all things. "Woah! I'm just cleaning up!"

"Don't think I don't know you're a student, brat! Alright, 1000! Wanna go for 10000, ' _uh_?"

"N-No, I'll do 100, please, Asuka-sensei!"

But she makes it into 10000. I should really shut up sometimes.

Ten thousand throws isn't accurate. If the throw isn't perfect, Asuka doesn't count it. Suffice to say, I think I've thrown it 10000 times, but she only counts 53.

"Meet me here, tomorrow," she basically tells me. "We're going to see your punishment through!"

My arm burns. There goes my writing hand...

All day long I spend Sunday throwing shuriken and kunai with both arms. The real metal, the occasional nick from the razor-sharp metal, the weight—suffice to say that this isn't nearly as fun as through paper. Plus, my fatigue from keeping chakra going going the Transformation Technique going. Chakra can't sweat unlike what I'm doing under the surface, but I hope Asuka attributes that to the chilly fall air.

At the end of the day, my total count rises to 82.

She's so beautiful to be so _cruel_.

"Every Saturday and Sunday," she vows. "Until you reach _ten thousand_. You hear me? Miss a day and I double it."

She's so mean. This isn't fair. But it's my fault. _Damn_.

Welp. I'm not going to be spending the remainder of my life doing this. I need to learn this _fast_.

Shuriken are frisbees for my fingers. The same flick and twist motion used to propel the flying disc is micromanaged in the fingers and exaggerated by the body. But where the frisbee has massive air resistance, a shuriken is designed to create the minimum amount of resistance possible. As an added bonus, shuriken are really hard to track once airborne. So many times I've had to listen for my projectiles rather than see.

I would think a Sharingan could see the shuriken easily. But without it, I'll have to train my senses.

In contrast, throwing a stick with a blade on top is a bit trickier. Kunai are heavier. It's made to be aerodynamic, but obviously kunai will always travel slower than shuriken thrown at the same strength. Though it hurts a person way more and is more visible. The trick to throwing these is like throwing a vertical frisbee plus a few more muscle groups.

And instead of sleeping, I grab a notebook; pencil; ruler; and protractor, set them on my desk, and start to draw my training sessions.

 _There's me, only 20 meters away, throwing with moderate strength. Wind speed and direction is_ _ **w**_ _. Temperature is_ _ **t**_ _._ _I should aim my shuriken at_ _ **x**_ _degrees on the (_ _ **x**_ _,_ _ **y**_ _) coordinate grid..._

I huff. Physics, algebra, and calculus all in one go. I pull at my air and loathe my stupid existence and _get to work_.

On Saturdays and Sundays, hell with Asuka begins. It's all the incentive I need to perfect my equations as soon as possible, hoping this math becomes intuitive _real fast_ so I don't have to worry about doing calculations. The time between throws drops to more than 10 seconds, but the count goes up faster than before. In two weeks, I'm at 210 throws.

"You're getting complacent with this," Asuka states and moves me further away. "Every 100 throws means 10 meters away! Every 1000 is a new challenge. I don't _care_ if you complain, you brat!"

I'm not exhausted, past caring. I just say, "Yes, Asuka-sensei." Complaining would just be a waste of time and energy.

(Please, please let me be done with this **torture**.)

.:

I double-check my syllabus. The first exam is _this_ Saturday. I'd been studying, but... wow, this exam determines class ranks. Everyone who puts in a bit of effort all make high grades, but this exam decides who's _actually_ learning. If I fail this exam, it'll be that much more impossible to make in to the 90th percentile by the end of second semester.

"Don't be so worried," Sumomo nudges my shoulder, staggering a bit as we walk. "You're smart!"

As if being "smart" means I can do anything.

I force a smile, despite her completely unhelpful words.

The Leaf Medical School Laboratories are on the other side of the building. A heavy smell comes over us as we step past the invisible boundary line dividing clean study and messy work.

"Preservatives," Kanka explains. "Mostly. Probably vomit, too."

We step into a separate room and suit up—white robes, thick neoprene gloves, a plastic visor that shields our faces from any fluids, and an optional mask. Those with sensitive noses or weak stomachs get a special mask that blocks the scent, a mask as lightweight and compact as surgical masks and _not_ gas masks. I take one just because I really hate the smell.

We enter Lab 1-K and find it's as huge as the map indicated. The ceiling is very high, although this is more to make sure gases that rise are as far as possible from students. The room is pale blue, which is easy on my eyes, with bright white floors. Tables are still the familiar black with wood legs I'm used to in science classes.

All 172 of us are split into 23 groups of seven and I lose track really quickly. All I know is that Sumomo is at my side and we're trapped with five strangers.

"Hello," I test out the waters. My mask doesn't hinder my voice at all. _Huh_. "First dissection. You?"

A girl with her hair tied in a bandana, keeping even the most minute strand of brown tucked away, replies, "You haven't seen the gross crap yet. Like, there's always that _one_ person that passes out every year in human dissection. Just taking bets on who's it gonna be."

A slow smile burst from my lips without meaning to, hidden under my mask. It makes my fatigued body a bit lighter.

"Hey now," though my voice is too weak for it to be scolding. "We're classmates. We shouldn't be betting on other's suffering."

"Yeah? 'Cause you say that to me, you say that to the 90 other people in this bet—'cluding that Yakushi next to you," and she politely points to Sumomo.

The girl fidgets under my gaze, trying to play with brown curls tied back into a ponytail innocently. "Well! A girl _has_ to make money somehow in this world! I'm not gonna be opening my legs for cash!"

Not knowing how to respond, I chuckle.

"Everyone's betting on the newbie civilians," the unfamiliar girl interrupts. "First time medic generations tend to be the slowest learners. They parents ain't in the medical field, no siblings, probably friends... they've got nothing going for them. Well, 'cept Ichigo. She's number seven."

 _Ichigo_? I see the civilian girl: burgundy locks that probably give her that name tied back in a bun held by a big bow, wide and drooping eyes that makes them look completely dilated and constantly on the verge of tears, pale face sunburned. In her breast pocket is her ID that gives away she's nine while her height say she's five or six. The scrawny girl is already controlling her table of rowdy boys.

"Some voted Migaki. He's cute and he's a real wimpy guy."

As sensitive as Migaki is, he could be likely to pass out. Past her head, I can see the Yuami Clan all partnered together. _We're screwed._

With difficulty, I shake my head. "I won't get involved, unfortunately. I'd doubt I win."

"Chicken," she taunts, and I hate those words.

"Am not," I respond _quite_ professionally.

She makes chicken clucks.

It's only because that sound is annoying that I involuntarily give up a few ryo and bet on whoever has the highest odds—which is some civilian boy I haven't seen or met.

Besides that, we do work, with us first watching Kanka, then a long bone is placed on our table. Looking at it, I try to quiz myself over the parts of a bone. In this world, English, Greek, and Latin don't exist—not entirely, see Rock Lee and Killer B. The parts I learn are spoken and written in Japanese, but every anatomy word is a Japanese equivalent to a Greek/Latin term.

The word _osteoblast_ is the Japanese Kanji for bone and something like birth.

I definitely do _not_ know Latin or Greek, but there is a medical convention held monthly in which the Five Great Nations define medical terminology to be used worldwide. This system is only in place due to the Mito Uzumaki Compromise (medic-nin who are not placed in Jounin-sensei teams are required to heal both ally and enemy plus may never kill themselves _and_ are not permitted to be killed while healing or on the field).

This convention has published a list of the official medical vocabulary which includes a two columns of Japanese words _translating_ Latin and Greek words.

"... _diaphysis. dia_ \- after, _physis - grow_ ~ _tsukurizugi_."

It's basically Google Translate the Novel.

Any Japanese person would _not_ be able to read the Roman script or the English alphabet as I'm used to calling it. Some form of Latin and Greek exists in this world, but it's a dead language and nobody in their right mind speaks or wants to learn it. Even history books never mention the presence of another language. The medics I asked— _Yoshi_ and _Rie_ of all people!—dismisses the Latin/Greek as gibberish and meaningless.

If I started writing in English in this world, it's safe to say I'll bring on unnecessary attention.

But presently, I stare at the long bone on the table. It's... unnerving how _fresh_ this femur looks. I stop Kanka (and she does something akin to an indirect eye roll). "I wasn't here when we covered preservation techniques. Um, what do we use to keep cadavers safe?"

"Sealing. Specifically, a subcategory Enclose Technique made just for corpses. The scroll keeps the body from aging, a fine coat of chakra basically freezes the body so that the system doesn't decay. Lastly, Aburame insects prevent the presence of animal, insect, and bacteria manifestation—the ones who like dead stuff," she clarifies, probably because of my look. "That's all."

Slicing the long bone in half, I can see the presence of tiny, black dots scuttling in the bone. Whereas most of our medical equipment can't even begin to penetrate the outer bone layer, the insects have no problem.

"Gross," I murmur, recalling the scuttling bugs on Hakushi's kiddie spear.

"Science!" Sumomo replies as she touches the yellow and red marrow with gloved hands. "Oh, so cool! It's like playing with clay!"

 _Playing with clay..._ I repress my annoyance. "We should follow the instructions before playing, hm?"

"Oh- _kaaay_!"

It's our longest dissection, stopping just short of 5:00 I peel off my mask and the heavy air pervades my nose. Coughing, I manage, "Can I still get a study date tonight?"

Sumomo ponders for a while. "Nah, I have to work the hospital with _Mother_ tonight. Sorry. Tomorrow okay?"

"You'll know tomorrow," I say, curt, feeling a sudden anger well up in me. I have to get away from her, unless I explode. It's not a big deal, me. _Chill_.

"W-Wait! Work with me! I can teach you _and_ work! Come on!" Her tone is slightly hysterical as she pulls me along for the ride. The cute blonde isn't at the desk, but Sumomo signs in and we dash away to the recovery ward.

Basically, it's a massive section dedicated to people who actually survived the trauma ward. Unlike Obito or myself, patients share a single, massive room. Blue curtains attached to a U-shaped sliding track offers them little privacy as a room. Many doctors and nurses fail to close them if the patient looks decent. Patients usually can't get out the bed to close it themselves.

There are sounds and noises of all kinds, blurring together into a general cacophony. It's as if I'm at the Homecoming Dance and all of the dance music, the food papers' crinkle, the heavy downpour, and the conversations that reach my ears as intonations and laughs surround me like a formless embrace.

Course I only heard those sounds because my date dumped me mid dance. (Rather, a spunky brunette chose me as her date just in case her crush wouldn't come to something " _mainstream_ ". But he showed up, she promptly told me the same old " _But you're such a nice guy!_ ", and while I mourned my existence for the next two hours—alone because my friends hated my school—ashamed to return home dateless, I got a chance to play observer and watch the absurdity of humanity.)

Sumomo and I are disinfected with a wave of the Disinfection Technique, scrubbed up with strawberry milk pink robes as our old clothes could be carrying pathogens, and then we step over the red line indicating we've arrived at the recovery ward. If the sign overhead isn't warning enough.

" _Mother_ , I brought my medic friend!" Sumomo shouts. I don't know who she's talking to until a woman looks our direction.

And smiles motherly.

The woman is definitely a stranger, but I feel like I've seen her thick blond hair and glasses before. Two other children are also next to her, equally familiar.

One of which is _Aki_ , who stares at me in shock. She's barely changed since our first meeting. The pink with her maroon hair goes together nicely. The make-up blush on her cheeks and nose makes her look kind of pretty, despite the drying blood splatters on her scrubs and shoes.

I dig in my pocket for the bell I dropped in on the down low, assuming Aki wouldn't wear something carrying pathogens in the Leaf Hospital. "Sorry... this is really late, but here you go. You dropped this."

Aki's mouth falls open as I place the bell in her hands. All while Sumomo chirps, " _Aw_! It's your bell, Aki-aki! You cried when you lost it, remember! It's _back_!"

Aki watches me, unblinking. I shrink under her gaze and happen to meet eyes with the other child.

Gray, messy hair with a slight bluish tint. It's saturated, its murky color easy on the eyes. His face is just as round as Itachi's, but his eyes seem even bigger than his and his eyelashes are barely visible.

The boy blinks and drops into a brief bow. "'M sorry. Nice to meet you. My name is Kabuto Yakushi. I hope we can be friends."

 _Oh shit_.

For years I've known him as "Orochimaru-but-creepier". I was glad Itachi and Sasuke utterly _wrecked_ him.

Yet here the crazed man stands before me, a toddler, innocent, lacking his trademark glasses.

I know nothing about this man's history. I don't know if he'll be beneficial to have as a friend, I don't know if he's the kind of child that burns animals. I don't know. Kabuto Yakushi doesn't concern me—I need to stop my clan downfall more than a psycho sidekick.

"You remind me..."—I just realize the expression I'm making and contort it into a grin—"of my brother _Itachan_!"

"Itachan?" Not-crazy Kabuto echoes before I start pinching his cheeks. If he's going to go bonkers, maybe he'll go easy on me in the future with Orochimaru's powers.

"Same doe eyes, same dazed expression; you're a mirror image of my brother!" I laugh. "How about I give you a nickname, little one? How does 'Kabutan' sound?"

His cheeks are hot under my hands. "Kabutan... is fine..."

"Yay! Kabutan, another thing. You don't really focus much, do you?" Kabuto furrows his brows. "Seriously, this is coming from a clan with amazing eyesight! Do you need glasses?"

"Glasses?" says Kabu-parrot.

"Ah," interrupts _Mother_ , "I had a suspicion... here, Kabuto..."

With her sweet _Kabuto-kun_ , she slides off her thick glasses and puts them over Kabuto's eyes. He blinks and his gaze roams around the room, eyes twinkling like a kid in a candy shop. It's endearing how cute he, too, was before reality happened.

"Thank you, Sumomo's friend," _Mother_ smiles to me. "You're just as every bit delightful as Sumomo described."

Sumomo grins.

I spend the evening helping them. _Mother_ , whose name is Nonou Yakushi, does the Mystical Healing Palm Technique with Aki while we three run around for medicines, blankets, foods—basically being unpaid interns.

All the while Sumomo teaches me Blood Coagulation Technique now that I have a firm grasp of histology.

But most importantly, I mess with Kabuto. He's the same age as me, four. I tower over him, so Kabuto doubts I am what I say I am. He's every bit the cinnamon roll Itachi is, except for the fact he has to read _everything_ out loud and comment on how beautiful the world is every 30 seconds.

Kabuto is not quiet like Itachi. He's a toddler true and true.

"Tomorrow," I say before I leave Sumomo, "we have to study for the exam."

"Can't we just do that during lunch? I like coming to the hospital!"

"Just, please, let me study with you for a week, then you can have fun," I beg.

"Takenaka, you're _smart_. What's more studying gonna do?" She pats my shoulder as if she is a wise old mentor. "Go live life. Have fun! Life's not about studying."

" _Sumomo_ , I can't do this without you! You're number 11!"

She throws a wave behind her. "G'night! Get lots of sleep tonight!"

Children and their stupid logic. She's the reason I'm still here! Didn't we promise to help each other? Guess I'll have to study alone.

I find an empty study room, pull out my notebooks and scrolls, and get to studying. But the more I read and try to recall, the more panicked I become. I don't know what the exam will be like. What if I'm studying all the wrong things? I try to doodle in order to calm down and only find myself more nauseated instead.

I scratch my hair, pull at the downy locks, drop my forehead to the hard table.

 _Can't fail, can't fail._

If Yoshi's right, if I run away from this and let Kanka tell my secrets, it won't matter. They'll drag me back somehow. I've just made life needlessly complicated.

My head hurts.

The next morning, I go up to Ichigo and smile, "Want to study for the exam?"

She turns up her nose. "An Uchiha asking for help? You just trying to sabotage me? I won't allow it! I'll tell Sensei on you!"

" _No_ , I just think it's better to study in a group."

"I don't know who you are. Why should I help you? I'm already number seven, and I'm not gonna help the people who're below me. Nobody can beat me."

I walk away before I do something I'll regret.

I ask our lab partners and all of them don't understand why I want to study so badly when " _only 30 minutes a day is good enough_ ". Does everyone want me to fail?

I stick to studying alone for the remainder of the week.

.:

Good to know my luck is garbage.

A night before the exam, when I'd done the bulk of my study yesterday and now got to lazily skim my notes, I had gotten the flu. Fall has barely begun and I'm sick.

My body is shivering from the cold that doesn't exist. My skin is pale to the point where I could be mistaken for a vampire in that girly book. I know my chakra is a little screwy, I keep feeling a constant urge to go puke—whether or not I've eaten anything.

My mind won't stop pounding...

And yet, everyone in my family is healthy and happy.

"You caught a cold from your classmates," Mother says as she watches me eat the fifth _okayu_ rice porridge in 24 hours. "Are you sure you can't miss one exam?"

"The exam shouldn't take long," I say. "Then I'll come home and rest."

So on this Saturday morning, I'm out the house as the sky starts its slow turn from vivid blue to pastel water. The cold pricks my cheeks and I bury my neck further in the scarf's deep, heavy fabric.

 _This is the exam that determines if you're screwed or not_ , I chant. _A stupid cold isn't going to stop me_.

I **can't fail**.

My stomach is churning badly. Hot pain pricks at the bottom of my mouth on both sides. The spit in my mouth is lava and I feel it travel down my esophagus, bubbling up the contents of my stomach.

I spend the time walking slowly and recalling my notes.

Bypassing the hospital, I enter the school building and as soon as I cross the threshold from the lobby chill to the heated entrance, my body just _malfunctions_.

Ideally I'd be in a study room with Sumomo, reviewing and quizzing... possibly listening in on the Yuami's work ethics.

Oh _no_ , Takenaka Uchiha gets to spend 20 minutes emptying out his gut _then_ some more despite being on E for _empty_.

Seriously, my chest and stomach are aching, made worse with my sudden shivers.

I'm certain I'm okay, but I nearly run into a wall in the bathroom. The more I blink, the dimmer the world gets.

Before me is a tall boy, pale and sweaty, eyes red and puffy, posture doing its best to remain perfect but his shoulders are too tensed, but he hangs is head forward in a slouch.

 _Sheesh_.

The cold water barely does anything for my face and gives me a mild brainfreeze. I feel _slightly_ better.

And as expected, Sumomo immediately says, "Woah! You're taking an exam with the flu? Dedication! You're amazing!"

"Or really stupid," I grit, make a pillow from my scarf, and try to block the outside world.

See, in the Leaf, the people who devote their _everything_ to a single goal are regarded with the highest respect. No one seems to get how denying the body necessary things is _dangerous_. But whatever. In the end, collective achievement powers individual achievement; though, the Leaf encourages individual prodigies and makes them work to better the entire village. Basic Leaf history. Behind the rose-colored lines.

 _Screw you, body. We are_ _ **not failing out first exam**_ _. Some guy said the mind can always drive the body into action. My body may suck, but my mind's still here._

Because I can't fail, I continue to review the notes, ignoring the insidious second wave of nausea.

Because I have to be a "genius", I can't fail.

 **I will not fail**.

There's simply no other option for me. My life boils down to this.

Sad, probably.

What am I supposed to do? I asked for this, right?

The lecture hall is silenced, thick booklets are passed out, and we begin.

(It's so hot—I'm burning up.)

" _List five joints and their relation to the body. Fully describe their uses, degrees of freedom, and location._

" _Draw and identify the three bones of the ear. Mention their functions and importance to the body._

" _Describe the process of bones creating blood for the body. Describe how bones connect to tendons to enable movement._ "

—basically, the questions boil down to intense, multi-step free-response questions. FRQs were a nightmare in English, and now I have to do it all in Japanese.

My hand's still sore from all the note-taking and throwing weapons. Even so, that's not going to stop me. I have to beat this exam. _Have to_.

The white papers and their little black words under the sunlight starts an ache beginning from my eyes and to the middle of my brain.

" _List three equipment used for measuring vitals and its advantages/disadvantages. Explain how the equipment can affect different patients._ "

 _Shinobi are very sensitive in regards to blood and DNA due to Bloodline Limits and Selections, or how many ancient techniques are passed through blood and flesh_ —

That sounds stupid. It's like I can't keep a coherent thought. I erase everything and start all over.

"Excellent. You may go."

I, and many other heads, look up to see Migaki and Hideri turning in their exams and leaving, talking about getting ice cream for their hardwork. Before long, the rest of the Yuami and Ichigo are turning in their exams while I'm halfway through.

 _You... won't be the fastest exam-taker... but you'll be right_ , though a part of me is briefly jealous and bitter of my slowness.

(It's chilly outside. Why am I burning up? Ugh...)

I get to the final section and that's when Sumomo stands up, stretches, turns in her exam and flashes me a bright grin as she leaves.

It's natural. She's not stupid when it comes to this. Unlike—

My attention is screwing with me, recalling stupid moments of deer and rainbows, fire and ash, Father in blood. I bite my tongue, continue while my mouth is hot and coppery as it stops my urge to puke. I chew at the pencil, very conscious of the sweat trickling down my back.

More and more hand in exams while I haven't flipped the page I was on.

Every sound echoes, echoes. Sounds of my slow pencil gliding across the paper with instinctive cursive while the door shuts behind the last student.

( _Shuddup, heart. I can't hear. Stop._ )

Something wet drips down my chin, having escaped my full mouth. It drops as a dot on my wrist, the color of Sharingan.

(How can I concentrate? All I hear is " **Don't fail**.")

I ignore my shivering body and write.

And I reach the final page, but...

There's something wrong with me.

I can't trust my mind. I go back double check. Triple check.

 _Your handwriting is so sloppy. That's not the character for_ bone _. Won't I lose points for this?_

 _This is garbage. Garbage._

 _What would Migaki do? Sumomo?_

The lecture is dyed orange by the time Kanka snatches away my exam.

"You're sick," she says, face _f-l-a-t_ as boards. "Get rest."

I lunge for my exam. She easily knocks me back into my chair that I'm sure has my buttprint on it.

"I'm not being coy with you. You are ill. Looks like the flu, but exacerbated because you didn't rest. So leave and sleep."

It takes four gulps to clear my mouth. My voice cracks.

"You don't care about me... let me finish."

"Wrong. I wish you stop assuming things you can't understand."

"Let me finish!"

I lunge for my exam and end up puking. _Oh_...

"You need rest."

Frosty chakra floods through me starting at my collarbone. For a moment, my body actually responds to me.

"Get home. Now."

I'm not complaining. I want to get home before this minty high wears off and I faceplant somewhere.

I'm not sure if I open the door or if my mom does. My cheeks are two heaters at this point, the warmth making my eyes water, making my face feel swollen.

Somehow I get open the door and off my shoes before my bed swallows me up.

The cottony fabric does nothing. I sling my shirt off and sprawl over a cold area of the bed. It lasts three seconds.

I'm resigning myself to death by melting when something _suuuper cold_ touches my head and neck.

"You're burning up. _No_ training until you get better. It's too dangerous, Takenaka."

 _I have to beat Itachi. Did he stop when he got sick? I dunno_ — _probably not?_

Mother rubs my back. I let her continue before intending to burst her bubble and go train. But then I see people licking femurs and sternums like ice cream cones. I'm dreaming. Can't find any reason to stop.

.:

Most of Sunday is spent asleep. Sometimes I partially wake up to Mother's cold towels or food. My sleep schedule is abysmal. I'm wide awake on midnight Monday morning.

I feel... good enough to go to school. If I don't think about the exam, I won't feel worse. I am fine. Totally fine. If I wasn't, I'd be at home getting behind when I've finally just caught up.

Mother is hesitating.

"Come home if you get sick," she says. "Eat your okayu hot, wear your mask, and keep an ice pack on you whenever there's a temperature, alright?"

"Right," I nod. I'm just super glad she's letting me leave, period.

The walk to school is slow. I'm later than Sumomo, who grabs my collar and shouts, "Are you okay?! I waited after school for you, but you never left! _Mother_ said I had to leave!"

Oh. She didn't leave me hanging. That's—well, now that I think about it, it was uncalled for to be upset.

"Sorry. Got really sick."

She pats my head. "You still look sick, _buuut_ you're not on death's doorstep!"

After doing homework, since I'm all caught up after nearly a month of hard work, Sumomo and I help out at the hospital again.

" _Kabutan_!"

Kabuto doesn't even try to fight back from my pinching. I smooth down his hair as Nonou speaks, "You're early today. Very good. The recovery ward is especially busy. I need all three of you on your best behavior."

" _Alright_ ," we all tone in unison.

To further increase my good mood, I get my exam result back. Sumomo's gotten a B plus, and I've achieve an A. Not A minus. Not A plus. But just an A. With quick calculations, that means that within the first month of med school, I'm **16th** out of 172. Just barely above 90th percentile. Any lower, I would be on probation.

 _I can just melt from all the pressure floating away._

Exam scores are also posted on the wall, probably to inspire competition. The Yuami all have A pluses with Migaki on the verge of an S minus. My score is tied with two others.

Somehow that board changes the room's atmosphere ever so slightly. Students come up to me and make small talk for no reason. I see classmates in the hall and the wave to me. In study rooms, some classmates barge in just because they see me.

Someone watches me, but when I turn to look, they divert their gaze.

.:

I begin to see why Sumomo is ranked so high. She gets daily practice and sees so many examples of medical ninjutsu at work. Plus, Aki is a second year and sometimes offers her tips and tricks. I ask Aki for tips, too, but she always writes them down and hands them to Sumomo to deliver to me.

It's early November and fall starts to blend into winter. We're outside, trying to heat up the water to be used for sponge baths. The water heater broke this morning. We try lighting a campfire, but because no one knows how to do it, I suggest Fire Release. But first I absorb the fire from our 10 miserable attempts.

Sumomo and Kabuto both _ooooh_ at the same time as my blue fire boils the water.

"Fire is blue," Kabuto states shortly before frowning up in confusion.

"Blue fire is way hotter than orange fire," Sumomo explains. "Learned that in lab classes."

"I want to learn."

"You're not old enough, kiddo. Be patient."

 _Should I tell them the truth?_ They probably won't understand and/or care. Shrugging, I help them load up the buckets onto the cart and wheel them inside. It's super heavy even for the three of us.

I push my back against the cart and walk backwards, finding it move more like this. Sumomo and, next, Kabuto mirror me. We're all grunting and struggling. Kabuto calls timeout.

"I lost, like, sixty pounds," Sumomo gasps. "Oh salty ramen..."

"Almost there, though," I add even though we're not.

"Let's ask friends for help," Kabuto says and points. I lower his hand and look.

Two familiar faces: Migaki and Hideri. The former hides behind the latter, who scowls.

"Takenaka, Takenaka, _Takenaka_ ," Hideri sneers, tipping his hat to shadow his mousey face. "That's all my grandmother talks about. The boy who could rival Tsunade one day. I seen you and you ain't worth the hype."

Well, what now? Do I be mean or polite? This is all unexpected.

"What're you going on about?" Sumomo interrupts. She squeezes my shoulder. "He's a chill guy."

"Shut up. No one likes you, orphan."

"What's your problem?" It takes me a second to figure out that's _my_ hiss. "We've never talked before."

"You _dumb_ , or what? It's not fair! _I'm_ from a clan of medics! The prodigy should be Yuami born, not some savage Uchiha heir."

I take a step forward and Sumomo pulls me back. With health insurance no longer holding me back, I'm about to School of Waves him.

"I bet you cheated," Hideri shouts. "You Uchiha and your pride. Can't stand being second best, huh?"

"You're playing with fire, boy..." Ironic considering his name has the kanji for fire in it.

"Let it be known." His formerly plain-looking eyes are burning bright. "I will _never_ let an Uchiha ruin what I love. Got that? You think you can do anything just cause you're noble—you got the money to do whatever you want."

"You're mistaken," I say, fully prepared to start a war.

He interjects loudly. "You look down on us smaller families. I bet your kind despises orphans, too. Papa says your _hubris_ 'll be your downfall."

 _He doesn't realize how right he is. Our pride will be the death of us all._

I truly know nothing about the Yuami, but as the Uchiha are leagues more popular, everybody who's anybody knows how my clan works. That's why clans like the Shimura prefer to keep under the radar—no one knows if they'll be facing a Danzou or some other freak of nature.

I'm left speechless. Hideri, with a sneer, takes it as victory. He grabs a pale Migaki, and the two saunter into the depths of the Leaf Hospital.

I clench my fists. My knuckles start to twitch, an old habit I thought I'd broken in death returning faintly. The one to break the silence is Kabuto's timid, "Takenaka hates us?"

I don't turn around. I have a great memory. So I've learned when there are sometimes I should look away before the event is scarred into my memory.

"Whether the Uchiha hate orphans is irrelevant," I tell him. "I am the heir of the Uchiha Clan. There _will_ be changes. Others shouldn't suffer because of a few prideful men."

 _Now if I can only put the money where my mouth is_...

Sumomo and Kabuto look at me weirdly. Weirdly, because I can't quite determine their emotions. They probably can't either. Fear, trepidation, shock, awe, worry.

But then Sumomo breaks the look with a big grin.

"The water's getting cold, boys! Let's get a move on, yeah?"

We all work together to push the cart. It's a little more quiet. Conversations are shorter. My shoulder muscles begin to tighten with the newfound tension among us.

.: **FIVE END** :.

* * *

 **(Ugh. Rewrote this so many times. AND the Winter Olympics did not help matters! When the games are 14 hours ahead of your own time, say goodbye to sleep!)**

 **Thanks for the warm response! Sorry for the typos! I won't have internet for a whole month, and you've all waited long enough.**

 *** ONE's ending is intentionally left vague. ;)**

 *** Takenaka will eventually get around to Fire Release, but so far he only wants to learn the fundamentals. The Fireball is a rite of passage and he only did it to impress Fugaku. As for if he'll never use or always use ninjutsu - well, that depends on the future. What he meets. What challenges he faces.**

 *** Also, do some of you guys** _ **want**_ **Obito to die despite Takenaka's efforts? So brutal! (It's awesome.) We'll just have to see what happens together!**

 **\- 22 Feb 2018**


	9. ZERO: SIX

**A Measure of Darkness**

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." Reincarnation!OC

— Robert Frost, _Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening_

* * *

 **SIX**

 _ **A Measure of Darkness**_

 _The Years Before Academy_ — _Deadline_

* * *

"—yes, Itachi. That is correct. But I would prefer that you speak."

The voice of Itachi's teacher interrupts my reading. Normally my little brother trains in my old study room, but now it seems he studies in his old nursery. I'd accidentally eavesdropped while I walked around the home, tired of staying put at my desk.

"Nothing, huh? Well, at least you are attentive."

His teacher exits the room shortly after. I hide around a corner and pick up long, wavy hair the color of snow, standing out against the dark blue _kimono_ and deeper blue _haori_.

"Karada-sensei," I call.

The man turns. In his wrinkled fingers is a golden fan. His eyes crinkle into a happy curve.

"Takenaka. It has been a while, no?"

"Yeah..."

Suddenly I feel awkward with my medical handbook and casual clothes, compared to his expensive appearance.

"You are most certainly the thick-headed one," Karada says. "The audacity to grunt instead use your words like a proper human... I ought to reintroduce my fan to your head once more."

"That won't be necessary, Sensei!"

I walk my former sensei to the front door. He effortlessly slips into his sandals, wrapping his toes around the string despite his thick socks.

"I must be on my way. Take care."

"Wait!" I cringe at my horrible choice of words. "Er, please wait, Sensei..."

Karada turns a little in my direction, but I still watch most of his back.

"I was wondering... why do people abuse me?"

 _Wait, that could be misconstrued_ —

"Abuse, you say?" replies he with no readable emotion. "In what context?"

"Ah... not in that way. People manipulate me to fulfill their agenda. Regardless of how I feel about it. I just wanted to know... why? Everyone does it..."

"The answer is simple, Takenaka."

Great. I've no doubt Karada knows the answer. It's his job to deal with people as _probably_ a diplomat _maybe_ , the very reason he was hired to be my teacher. But besides that, I have yet to crack the Karada Code.

"It is the same reason we kill. _Talking_ solves nothing. Wars cannot end with words. It is actions that run this world. Rather than spend years perfecting speech, why not kill? It is simple, easy. In short, actions are the easiest choices. To talk is to deliberately avoid the easy route and makes one a stronger person overall. Rather than convince you with words, it is all too easy to force you into their debt. That is why people abuse others so often."

Mad respect for Naruto's talk-no-jutsu.

"So manipulating makes me weak," I say. "And you say it's the same as killing. I see. I've probably killed a man. Maybe men."

I can't read his emotions. "Ah, would you elaborate?"

"I fought in the war."

Oh, but I know he hesitates, hiding it by retracting his fan oh so slow. "You are a toddler. You couldn't—"

"It's true," I cut him off, wary of his gold fan. "Yeah. It's easy, Sensei. But that's only in the present. When the kill becomes the past, it's obvious killing is the harder option."

(It's... nice. To completely abandon my childish nature and talk about things that really bother me.)

Karada faces the door. "Sometimes I think you are years beyond your age. How could you have gained so much wisdom in four years?"

"It hardly pays to be a fool in this world," is my half-hearted excuse to throw off suspicion.

"That I concur."

Karada opens the door and opens his umbrella. The rain smells cold even from the safety of my home and its long, sloping rooftops that guides the rainfall away from the patio.

"Takenaka." Sensei smiles at me over his shoulder. "Are you religious?"

I immediately go on the defensive. I'd been taught for 18 years there are four things a man never talks about: religion, politics, money, and what goes during _horizontal tango_. I'm not so sure if the rule applies in this world, or it's just unspoken due to the Japanese and their love indirect communication.

Then I realize the only things I can chose are Shintoism, Kaguya-ism, and atheism. Two of which are extremely similar.

"I don't know," I settle for. "Whatever happens... happens, Sensei."

He makes a _hmm_ sound. His perpetual smile gives nothing away. For I all I know, either he's praising me or condemning me to burn.

"You should visit the shrine sometime in your life," Karada says after a moment's silence.

"I already do. I visit the nindera—"

"No. The famous Uchiha shrine."

Does he mean the Nakano? "On the outskirts? Grandfather lives there."

"I see. Yes... you should definitely visit it once. You will find all the answers you need with the eyes of gods within you."

Religious people can sound so creepy at times. "Yes, Sensei."

Karada breathes in the rainy air three times. He smiles at me a minute longer before departing. I watch the blues of night swallow his form whole.

I close the door. Lock it. I don't trust the security seals.

A little hand pulls at my shirt. Itachi stares up at me. "Busy? Play puzzle?"

I need a distraction. "Yeah, definitely. A puzzle sounds good."

.:

Today is freezing cold. A light snow drizzled last night and melted by morning, making the world look shiny from the abundance of frozen puddles, or damp and saturated.

It makes it harder to throw my weapons. Every time it sinks into the damp, human head sized target, it comes back wet and slippery.

I don't see why Asuka is so willing to remain outside and just watch me throw in this weather without compliant. She's insane.

"1000," Asuka says, dispassionate.

I turn around. She said she'll add a challenge when I reach 1k.

Instead guidance, she stares me down until I flinch under her gaze.

"I don't understand you," Asuka says.

"...Sensei?"

"For a month straight you show up in this body that ain't yours and throw weapons for hours on end without whining about it. Why haven't you given up?"

She did know. _Oh._ Yeah. Yeah, this punishment _was_ insane. No teacher would ever give this to normal students.

I cancel the technique, grateful for the chakra strain disappearing.

Asuka widens her eyes and rolls to the balls of her feet. " _Uchiha_? What are you—half? Quarter-breed? There's no way an Uchiha would settle for this punishment! What's your deal?"

I purposely avert her eyes to show my submission. "I deserve the punishment. I mean, I _did_ infiltrate the Academy. And stole an identity." I force a laugh.

"So," she says, "who's your teacher, then?"

"I'm not actually in the Academy."

"What d'you _mean_? You're bout six or seven. You should be in the Academy."

I fidget under he gaze. "...er, I'm too young. I'm only four."

Asuka's eyebrows shoot way up her forehead.

" _What_? How have you been doing the Body Replacement Technique, then? And for so long? So well? The hell're you throwing kunai and shuriken with your chumpy toddler arms? I take that back—you are an Uchiha through and through."

"Asuka-sensei," I call to make her stop. "Thank you for punishing me."

She scowls. "You know punishment is supposed to suck, right?"

"Yeah. It did. It really, really sucked."

(So many sleepless night from muscle soreness. And writing and bruises...)

Asuka turns away, shooing me away sideways. "Just... go. We'll keep this a secret so long as you don't come back to the Academy again until you're supposed to, alright?"

"Asuka-sensei—"

"Don't make me regret—I don't _do_ regret. Just... out of here, you masochist."

 _Masochist?_

I only laugh weakly and response and dash away.

.:

December comes. With it, a light dust of snow and the end of the fall/second semester of medical school. The final three days of school will be nothing but final exam after final exam. Sumomo and I have a study group that has grown to five people. We spend late nights in the study rooms, with Mitsu—the girl who was my bone lab partner—bringing hot chocolate and Azayaka bringing thick blankets for us all.

The room blocks outside noise. The glass that opens to the outside is blurred and foggy. Makes it seem like we're the only humans in this world.

"—you're wrong. It's called 'The Human Body and Complex Organisms', Azayaka. Get it right. We've _only_ been studying this junk for the past four months," clips the brusque girl name Nae, who I first met when she attached a VSS to Sumomo's chest.

"I was close, though...?"

The practical exam is basically gross anatomy, biochemistry, and physiology. All the names, locations, and versions of those names drives everyone crazy.

"Those Yuami got a system in place when it comes to memberizing this stuff," says Nae. "Those selfish—"

"Tarts!" Sumomo intervenes before Nae could say something pretty derogatory.

"I'd love to convert Migaki to the good side," I agree.

But the Yuami hate my guts. I'm basically stealing something they've specialized in for years. Unintentionally.

They can be butt-hurt about it. Cause I have to admit that over the months, I've come to appreciate the medical arts. I don't particularly _like_ all the studying required, but the concepts are cool.

Firstly, it's insanely weird to know where all my major arteries are. If I stab myself, I know exactly how to kill myself. In fact, knowing how easy it is to die makes me never want to go outside again.

 _But_ , reality won't like that.

Secondly, the medical arts go beyond just healing (although healing is what they mainly do). It's a creed. A way of life. _The Medic's Tenet: Be Calm, Remain Focused, Know Limitations_. We practice our butts off on the dead, plants, or animals so we don't kill the human we _know_ we can save.

And also drilled into my head is _Tsunade's Creed_.

 **First Clause—No medic ninja shall ever stop medical treatment until the lives of their party members have come to an end.**

 **Second Clause—No medic ninja shall ever stand on the frontline.**

 **Third Clause—No medic ninja shall ever die until they are the last of their platoon.**

 **Fourth Clause—Only those medic-ninja who have mastered the Strength of a Hundred Seal of the Ninja Art Creation Rebirth are permitted to discard the abovementioned laws.**

During the months, it started becoming apparent that Tsunade made the most advances in the field medic career branch. She favored shortcuts and tricks to make operations super quick, which is a _must_ for field healing. Hashirama didn't believe, at the time, medics could be on the field, so his advances were more for stationary medics. Since Tsunade barely touched that framework, nearly all the techniques are super old-fashioned and traditional.

Heck, all the higher up doctors are 50 and beyond. Those old gits are the ones teaching younger generations these outdated methods.

Though every so often, a Nara makes an advancement, considering their family deals heavily in pharmacology. Their greatest creation are the Akimichi Food Pills we students got to see in action during metabolism lessons. (Pretty flipping cool, but the formula is a secret.)

These Nara are the ones who made chakra-based equipment like the vital sign seal or Chakra Scalpel and Chakra Forceps from the Chakra Scissors technique.

I like comparing how advanced the Leaf is to America. Then, how far behind it is from America. Just three decades ago, it was the _norm_ to amputate things that doctors believed couldn't be healed.

(For example: Lasik Eye Surgery or tattoo/seal removal. No lasers have been invented. Can chakra do the trick? Hopefully Fire Release?)

Beyond that, the exam the marks the end of the second semester and cements my class rank. It worries me a lot, but isn't the total reason why I feel like a tray of frog legs splattered with salt.

Adding to my worries is the month after December: January. A brand new year. By February, Obito turns 13, the next month after—I'm turning five. The only good thing is that next year marks only two years left in the war (with Itachi being four by the time the war's over). But.

Obito dies at 13.

Next year is Kanabi.

I don't know what the _fuck_ I'm going to do about it.

I'm such an idiot. I should've been more proactive. It's like I secretly want to get my family murdered, see Naruto's parents dead, torture Kakashi in the future. I've known this was coming for, what, _three years_ by March? Yet I'm doing nothing. The day will replay itself. If I don't stop him, out comes the Nine Tails and co-murderer.

...what if I killed Obito now?

Yeah, right. I'd never do that. It's not that I'll totally get caught. I don't want him to die at all.

I—I don't get it—

I ball my hands into fists and ripple my knuckles (lifting my index finger, dropping it down at the same time middle finger goes up, repeat with remaining fingers) to a tempo of 120 beats per minute. The _one_ two three four feels too slow, so I ripple in cut time. _One_ -two, _one_ -two...

Stop Obito, everyone lives. How? How am I supposed to do that? I haven't talked to him ages ever since I so helpfully blurted out I'd been in war _too_. In the end, it's Rin's fault for getting captured. Are all field-medics that reliant on their other teammates? I should've been helping _her_.

Maybe it's Kakashi's fault for not being so willing to get Rin back. Or not convincing Obito to abandon her and go blow up the bridge. Maybe it's Minato's fault for trusting such a grab-bag group with such a _dangerous mission_.

I can't stop Kanabi. The mission needed Minato's presence. Delaying probably won't do any good.

" _Yo_."

Sumomo has her finger poked deeply into my cheek to the point where I can feel her short nail pressing my upper teeth, especially the loose tooth (disappointed there's no tooth fairy, but a tooth demon that eats teeth and fights like the Kaguya Clan).

"Stop stressing," she states blankly. "You're forbidden to worry for the rest of this year."

—which makes me stress more because I realize Danzou's going to have her in his roots next year. I'm worried if I stop her, Kabuto might end up going in her place, negating the nearly three months I'd gotten to know him with.

I don't know how to save Sumomo Yakushi.

"That doesn't mean you worry more!" She hits my shoulder. "Spit it out. What's up?"

I stare out the window so I don't have to worry about warping my face. With a little inhale, I say convincingly, "Exams, clan stuff, the war."

"Don't worry about things you can't fix," Nae interrupts. "You're wastin away neurons, my dude."

Elsewhere, someone slaps the round table. " _Neurons_!" Azayaka hollers.

"Yup." I let my lips curve upwards. Probably not very convincing. "The clavicle. Axial or appendicular?"

We finish early tonight, at nine. The last of the hot chocolate is in our bellies and we all say goodbye to the super soft/warm blankets Azayaka and his deaf grandmother knitted.

"Dude, I'm wicked excited for t'morrow," Nae says, shaking Mitsu's shoulder. "Human dissection! Do you _understand_ how long I've been waitin to pry open a head and touch a _brain_?"

I'm pumped up, too. I love human dissections the best... even though they smell the worst. Kikaichuu beetles smell likes athletes who work so hard, they sweat buckets. Every day. And never take showers. It's that bad.

(Not like I was expecting a parasite to smell like roses, though.)

Wednesday morning moves at a snail's pace, with lunchtime picking up speed. Today's the fastest we've all gotten into the lab and set up.

As usual, the Yuami are huddled up amongst themselves, with two unwanted strangers. My study group of five also has three strangers, but they can't really keep up with our inside jokes.

"Dude," Nae tugs at Mitsu's lab coat. "Dude. Open it. The seal."

"Why don't _you_ do it?"

"I'm gonna totally drool on it!"

"Okay," Sumomo says quickly and opens the seal.

By the time her arm is at her side, we see our newest cadaver. It's a man, judging by his lack of breasts. His body is severed and embalmed from the fifth rib and up. His eyes are long gone, leaving sunken lids in their places. His forehead is heavily burned. His hair could have been long and silky, but a medic must've ran Hair Sever over it, cause there's nothing left except the dark brown discoloration.

"Is this a Hyuuga?" I say, running a gloved finger over the pale skin and feeling the insects below.

"Who cares! Open his head up!" Nae grabs the biggest saw imaginable and lunges for the man.

The instructions _did_ say we were supposed to separate the chest from the neck and up (the chests were going to be used for other classes studying in cardiology), but not the way Nae does. Insects, dried meat and blood, and fluid splatters all of us. Thankfully we wear our protective visors and lab coats.

" _Nae_!"

" _Ew_! There's a bug on my coat!"

"That's one way to do it."

I wipe off my visor with a spare towel. Able to see, I check the potential Hyuuga cadaver for any damage by Nae's horrible cut.

His black eyes are staring at me.

 _Nonono_ , there aren't any eyes on _my_ corpse.

The head stares unblinking at me. Propped on the black table with a rice bag, face inhumanly relaxed.

—and my heart just starts to _lubdubluduluduludu_ like a xylophone tremolo. Almost immediately afterwards, my breathing goes haywire. Harsh, quick breaths. And even if I breathe more, I feel like I'm still dying. All over. My heart is going to explode.

I'm so cold my body does half a shiver and gives up, like it is telling me, _It's way too cold to be contracting. You're own your own, bro._

I am trying to breathe. Air just gets shoved down my throat regardless. I sit up.

Sit up? Why am I sitting to begin with?

I'm sitting on someone's shoes. It hurts. My body will not listen to me. I even feel someone pulling my limbs.

I look up. Oh good. My head still works.

Kanka's old face puts me into a bad mood, specifically as her dark eyes seem to gaze through me.

"Oi," she echoes. "What day is it?"

 _How am I supposed to speak with a mask on?_

"Like that," she retorts. "Answer me."

What's happening? Did she do this? Just behind her, there's a table like the one in the labs.

"What's your name?"

She shakes me. Hard.

" _Takenaka_." You crazy woman.

"Age? Likes?"

"...four. I like... like..."

The picture and taste come to mind. No name. Just the Japanese syllables: _kani_.

"Crab? Crab what?" Right before, "What were you doing?"

There's a black beetle crawling up her lavender kimono. I wonder if Nae got a beetle in my hair.

 _Nae_.

I fight off her vice-like grip. "Human dissection! Is it... over?"

The woman is glaring, rubbing her wrists. "Had to pause it because of you."

"Eh?"

She walks off and more hands behind me tug. Muffled words. Kanka's " _Don't_ make him stand up! He'll just pass out again! Leave him be!"

 _Pass out_? I don't have a single memory of it! Though, now my teammates stand within sight, each with a worried look.

Aside from Mitsu's bittersweet smirk.

" _Nae_ , it's your fault for being so weird!" Sumomo loudly huffs.

"I didn't think he'd be sensitive!" Nae's face is red. She breathes heavily. It's probably not the first she's said those words.

"Told ya there's that one person that passes out. But nobody bet on Takenaka." Mitsu wrinkles her tiny nose at me.

I only stare. Pure shock. _I?_ passed out? Why? I'm not queasy about this stuff! What the _heck_? I rub my eyes and realize my superhero eye mask had been removed, along with my breathing mask and visor. Someone hands it back to me, thankfully.

I spend a good ten minutes watching everyone else dissect before I can stand up and join.

.:

It's strange how enchanting women are when are completely devoted to a task at hand. That's not to say they can't ever be as competent as men—women just look way more amazing than men.

Even now, I watch Nonou as she presses glowing palms on a man having a tonic clonic seizure. No one holds him down—you really aren't _supposed_ to—and that bothers her little as she heals. She's impervious to the chaos before her.

Her small brows are pressed together with a bead of sweat able to fit within the small gap. She unconsciously bites her lip and her gaze wanders across his body, as if seeing things underneath flesh and clothes.

And when everything is over, when the man wakes up and mumbles nonsense before sleeping, Nonou allows herself to take a step back and sigh. Just before moving to the next patient.

"Woah," I say, but I only notice it because of the breath bursting past my lips.

And then I feel two tiny fingers shaking my arm.

"The man's fine, Takenaka," goes Sumomo with a shrug. " _Mother_ 's dealt with worse! Now come on! We've got to give a sponge bath! I can't wait to add to my hair collection."

I'm so out of it I don't question her.

 _Mystical Healing Palm Technique_. It's a second year skill, considering how Aki can use it. But Aki only uses it for minor and quick wounds before using medicine. Nonou can manage more advanced illnesses with the technique. These two are some of the many women in here that can use the technique at all.

I... have an idea.

I want to be deployed into war around the same Obito is deployed to the bridge. I'll play along as a medical-nin, but I'll sneak off and save him! It _has_ to work because how else am I going to save him?

So if I have the skills of a second year and they're sometimes deployed, _I'll_ be lucky enough to be deployed at the same time!

I sit next to Nonou while she massages an oil onto her patient's back. I haven't taken pharmacology, so most medicine are beyond my understanding. I make my voice pleasant and innocent as I say _Nonou-san_. I feel like I should translate it as Miss Nonou to show off my respect, but decide against.

"Nonou, what's it like, the Mystical Healing Palm Technique?"

Her smile is so serene. "Do you want me to tell you because you wish to use it? There _is_ a reason first years do not learn the technique."

"I won't promise I won't not use it," I say very seriously.

That gets a giggle out of her, albeit tired. "Well, what can I say? I must use my chakra to sped up the body's healing process. I must micromanage because if I activate the wrong gene, or if a mutate a cell's chromosomal DNA, if I trigger the wrong hormones, my patient may die. Death may come immediately or decades into the future."

That's probably the most direction I'll get from her. Now all I worry about is the other two steps: control and molding. I get the hand seals from the other nurses and start experimenting once I'm home and everyone's in bed.

The seals are Ox and Tiger. Although it sometimes varies, probably because different chakra molds work better with certain types of healing? Because both Ox and Tiger use more physical energy than spiritual, and Tiger can be a little intense. I see Ox and Horse or Ox and Bird used a lot.

So anyways, the Mystical Healing Palm Technique—let's shorten this to Mystic Palm as most nurses do—is pretty straightforward. Accelerate the body's healing. The issue is that because human bodies are so complex, there is so many things that can go wrong. Plus because everyone has different equilibriums or homeostasis, the technique is personalized to every human being. For medics to use this technique for quick healing on the field, they should know their teammate's chakra perfectly.

In the end, I can't do much with it bedsides very, very, _very_ simple cuts and tiny bruises. Because that's all I know how to fix. I know I should increase clotting factors in blood, increase skin cell growth, et cetera. Things like healing broken bones or torn muscle ligaments sound terrifying with the amount of work the body does in healing.

But naturally the more I use the technique to heal wounds, the faster I become. Then it becomes a matter of remembering what to do as my medical knowledge increase.

So the fact that Tsunade perfected the Mystic Palm Technique gives her one more credit of respect.

—and in the end, if I want to join medic-nin forces at Kanabi, I have a _looong_ way to go.

 _Oh. Boy._

.:

"Good job," Azayaka says, giving me a thumbs up. "You're sleeping."

In the Leaf, desk workers or civilians are encouraged to work so hard they start sleeping. I wipe my heavy eyes and see all the others engrossed in their own studying.

"Good night, then," I mumble, gathering my junk and leaving with a last wave over my shoulder. I can already feel the temperature outside from the freezing lobby room. Snow is falling, tiny white blurs that drift as if in water. The wind hardly blows, makes the chilly night less cold. Children are trying to catch snowflakes in their mouths. Merchants are trying to protect their goods or start packing up.

 _If the snow melts overnight, all the stores will open late._ I redirect myself from home and its sweet comfort, to the heart of the village. _Better do this now._

The bookstore is in sight. I should reach it in three minutes or less. I like coming here because records aren't so secured as in the Leaf Library. Every book sold is pulp fiction and checkouts are buying or renting. Yoshi told me a great book about the medical arts without actually buying a textbook would be _Saizou Versus the Ten Ails_. The book is older than both my lives, uses the old Japanese word for disease, and has a few outdated characters (but are explained in the footnote, thank Pain).

" _Oi_! Get back here, you _ninja thieves_!"

I stop as two figures burst out the bookstore and leap into the sky. It's like they move in slow motion. Under the light of the half-moon, I see their faces.

Deep browns sparkling with mirth, mouth that won't close because of all the laughter, a very thin body perfect for running away quickly. I'd seen her before in her lavender kimono. Now she takes on a more trendy outfit—a loose, black top that curls around her small chest ever-so slightly, short shorts, a pink jacket is tied around her waist.

And behind her, her panicked comrade whose face I could never forget. _Obito_.

"You have to return the book!"

"But I paid for it, you know!"

" _No_. I mean, you can't buy that book without an adult!"

Rin sticks her tongue out at him and together they land on a rooftop a small distance away, continuing their conversation out of hearing. Civilians go back to their daily lives after the disturbance. I don't. I find myself wall walking up the side of an adjacent building to listen in its shadows. Rin is laughing breathlessly and Obito is being the _mature one_.

"—Jiraiya-sama wrote this, though! And he was Minato-sensei's teacher! So this book _must_ be good," Rin logics.

"Nuh-uh! Everyone talks about how dirty that book is! I don't want you reading that!"

"Oh, Obito, I don't even understand all the graphic content." Rin flips open to a random page and I can read it from where I'm at, under the roof awning's shadow.

That's a _really_ perverted book. I'm just... amazed at how vivid Jiraiya writes.

"Still! What are people going to think about you in public?"

"Maybe I _won't_ read it in public, you know..."

"Rin..."

Rin quite calmly closes the book and shortens the gap to the millimeters between their toes. Their height difference isn't much. She can easily reach up and pull back his goggles.

"The sky is beautiful." Her voice is as quiet as snowfall. "It's like stars are drifting down to the Leaf..."

"That sounds scary," Obito frowns, no doubt picturing an apocalyptic scenario.

Rin's laugh barely moves her lips. Once she lowers her eyelids until they cover half of her eyes, I start to get the impression that the atmosphere is changing and I shouldn't be here. But I don't know why.

"I'm cold," is her non-sequitur response.

"Huh? You have a jacket?"

"Obito... you're so helpless."

"I don't understand. You're the weird one here!"

Rin presses her stolen book against his mouth and Obito, puzzled, makes no move to stop her. He just watches as she stands on the tips of her toes and— _oh_ —presses her lips against the back cover.

 _Now_ he gets the hint and closes his eyes all while hugging her. No doubt his bigger frame warms up the petite girl.

Firstly, I should not be here.

Secondly, so _this_ is the Obito that interacts with the world apart from me.

Thirdly, why didn't he _tell me_?

I decide to flee before they start getting serious. I mean, I doubt they'd do much in public considering how modest the kiss was, but they are two preteens in love. I know from experience that preteens are bonkers.

By the time I pay for my book, the two are gone.

 _How am I going to save Obito Uchiha?_

It's going to take more than just hoping I'll be deployed when he does. I need to set myself up to be irreversibly entwined with his fate.

Or what if I just _removed_ him from the equation? My dad is a war general (maybe not the most highly ranked because of prejudice). He could submit my opinion as his own, and...

So I find myself in my dad's study once again. Father gives me a cautious glance and fails to relax. "Yes?"

"I have been monitoring the war," I begin, using my most formal Japanese. "Within the next 12 months, the Land of Earth will seize a chance to overcome the Land of Fire. Based upon history and predictions, I believe Earth will try to take control of the Kanabi Bridge. Its location is only a few hours away from the Leaf and can supply Earth soldiers for weeks at a time. Knowing that Earth likes its 'moving wall' formations, we will need a ninja such as the Yellow Flash to conquer that army. I don't think I need to explain why the fastest man alive will be perfect for this job."

Father doesn't reply. The silence stretches... I can't stand it.

"I-I also recommend we send in a fleet of three ninja to demolish the bridge. I vote for the strongest ninja I know. Prodigy child of the White Fang, Kakashi Hatake. Son of the Third Hokage, Asuma Sarutobi. Top ranked medical-nin kunoichi, Rin Nohara."

I don't know what else to say. Father just watches me, still as statues, not giving away what's running through his mind. Maybe this was a stupid idea.

"Takenaka."

Sweet relief. "Yes, sir?"

"What is your intention? You've never been interested in war strategy."

"Because..." I aim for a half-truth. They're more easy to remember than lies. "I've always paid attention to the war. That's why I work so hard. I suddenly realized if the Yellow Flash would be the one to distract the frontlines, his team would likely go blow up the bridge considering the prodigy Hatake is among them. Knowing Obito—our Obito Uchiha... he'll die."

"The boy is a mockery of our clan," Father states, his guarded expression beginning to ease up. "No one would miss him."

"You're wrong. Maybe most Uchiha won't care. I would. So would his teacher." But empathy is lost on Father so before he shuts me down, I change gears. "If the rumors are true about the Yellow Flash becoming the Fourth Hokage, Obito will be his right-hand man. At least we can utilize this closeness, for the Uchiha Clan has never held a spot in the central authority."

 _Bam_. Talk to my dad about utility and suddenly he's interested.

"That is valid," Father mumbles, looking at his desk in thought. "The chances of me securing that position are low."

" _Exactly_!"

Father quirks his brow at me. Oh, that can also be misconstrued.

"Obito is useful," I clarify. "If we remove him from that mission, Obito won't die and the Uchiha will surely have more influence in the future."

"Even so, the Earth forces are nowhere near Kanabi. Whose to say this plan will actually work?"

"It will. Just don't mention it to anyone. If the Leaf preemptively changes tactics, the Earth might not go to the bridge."

"But in that scenario, Obito will be saved."

"Or he'll just die unexpectedly elsewhere."

"I'll keep it in mind," Father concludes. "We will see if your prediction will actually come to be."

"Yes, sir."

I bow and leave oh so calmly.

I only manage to get to the dining room before I quietly shout " _Yeeeeessss_!"

No dead Obito, no sad Rin and Kakashi, no dead Minato and Kushina, no sad Naruto, and no reincarnated Madara! For once my luck is looking up!

.:

I'm knocking on rough wood, food hidden behind my back, in a good mood up until he opens the door. My mistakes start to play through my eyes, mocking me. I force a big grin and say, "I've missed you, Big Brother! I've got so much to talk about!"

Obito's confusion promptly changes to excitement by the time I'm finished speaking.

We sit in his (messy) room under his heated table, eating spicy curry and hot tea. The steam clouds his goggle lens. They're off before long.

I talk to him as if no tension had formed between us. I tell about medical school, the hospital, new friends, _Asuka-sensei_ (who I find out is Asuma's older sister), and random things about Itachi's adorableness. As I talk, Obito keeps quiet, though his grin is bright, his cheeks are red.

"How's your teacher?" I say. "And Rin? And Kakashi? How are _you_?"

"Minato-sensei's been super busy lately," the boy sighs. "It's usually us and Kushina most days. Lots of dumb D-Ranks, too. Oh, ah... Kakashi's been doing alright. And I'm okay, too."

"And Rin?"

"She's fine," but he speaks quickly.

Hm. "If your team isn't so busy... could I meet them?"

"E-Eh?"

"I want to give them presents"—that I don't have—"for them treating Big Brother with respect."

Obito panics, waving his arms furiously. "Th-Th-There's no need for all that trouble! It's just what teams do, y'know!"

"Allow me to treat you all to a meal, then," I say, wanting to try out the famous Ichiraku Ramen. "I won't take no for an answer."

"You already bought me food..."

"It's last night's leftovers. So, really, I didn't buy you a thing, Big Brother."

I'm being stubborn. Besides, I have a lot a free time now, aside from studying and hospital visits, my weekends are empty.

So I get Obito to plan for me to meet Team Minato this Sunday afternoon. Instead of me buying ramen, it's a picnic. All I get to bring is napkins.

Obito assures my mom of where we plan to go shortly before we head out. We end up at one of the Leaf's forest reserves and picnic under the trees. It's a chilly day, so the food is hot and a campfire burns in the middle of the group.

Aside from their winter getup, it's _them_. I saw them at the Chuunin Exams, and now Team Minato has grown up, has started to look like adults.

"Obito!" Rin calls and waves us over.

Despite the cold, my face and neck are hot. I duck my head further into the scarf.

Kakashi nods at Obito and me, languid. His winter coat is thick and moves silently with its fur, but the shorts and no socks he wears completely seem to negate the coat.

Rin actually wears a decent coat and thick leggings under her skirt, as well as mittens and earmuffs.

Kushina, the most energetic of them all, looks like she's in the middle of fall with her light layers, her yellows and whites and tans. Her long, red hair—so much more vivid close up—is held in two, braided pigtails. She looks very girly and it helps that she can't be any older than my mom right now.

Their eyes take in my appearance, kind and accepting.

"It's..." I hear my voice. "It's nice meeting you all! I am Takenaka Uchiha. Please treat me kindly."

And then I'm staring at my two feet.

Obito pats my back, prompting me to rise. "Aw, you're shy!"

I'm _not_. I'm a little overwhelmed, though.

"Takenaka hasn't changed at all! Well, maybe a tiny bit!" Kushina invades my personal bubble as she grooms me. "You look a little sick! Ah, maybe we should've postponed this."

I shake my head. "I'll be busy for the rest of this month. But I feel fine."

Her violet eyes are dazzling. "You get to sit next to _me_! I called it!"

I end up stuck between her and Kakashi, as Rin and Obito naturally gravitate to each other and Kakashi naturally gravitates away from them. Not out of malice. But because of being a third-wheel. I've got experience in that realm, too.

Kushina and Obito chat the most. They also eat the most, but Kushina easily surpasses him after a while. Rin and I know just what to say to keep the conversations rolling. Kakashi sort of sits at my side, barely adding anything and eating discretely.

This is really nice. There's such a warmth between these four. Even Kakashi is more subdued than his critical nature I saw from the show. Somehow... Kakashi isn't the same person. Rather than spiraling downwards with guilt, he's much more mellow.

It's strange.

His white hair and pale skin reminds me of marshmallows, too.

I'd been looking at him too long (which is probably like three seconds to ninja prodigies) so he looks back, eyes hiding a question.

"I know... you hear this a lot," I begin, "but could I spar with you once? Just to see how hard you've worked on your skills."

I almost say talented, but I realize I'd hate to hear that myself.

Kakashi's face emotes his curiosity which is good. He's not keeping up a mask with me.

"You're four, right?"

I nod. "You're 13, right?"

He closes his eyes. "I won't lie to you. You will not last long."

"Yes, that's what I'm hoping for."

"Hm?"

"That means you aren't holding back on me."

Kakashi opens his eyes and stands. "Well, so long as you were warned..."

"Ah, wait, Takenaka! Kakashi, don't listen to him!" Obito scrambles to his feet and stops when Kakashi stares at him.

"If you want people to grow," he says, "sometimes they have to get hurt."

What.

Who are you and what have you done to my Kakashi?

We walk a bit away and I drop into my School of Waves stance while Kakashi puts his gloves back on.

And I watch his leg muscles tense.

And my body fails to block. His kick knocks me off my feet and sends me falling butt-first onto the wet, cold ground.

All I can say is, "Wow."

Kakashi lowers his leg. "Your stance is fine. In due time, you'll increase your speed and reflexes."

"Yes, sir!" I get to my feet despite the jelly feeling in my legs. "I really like ninjutsu the best. I don't know much of them, though."

"Ah." He shuffles slightly, his eyes dart away and back. "Show me something."

"Okay!"

I show him the Clone Technique, Body Replacement Technique (with a log), and Transformation Technique (into Rin, which makes Obito super annoyed).

"...and there's a bit more," I conclude, back to my normal self.

The boy's eyes are no longer so dull. A faint light rests beneath the black. "You say you taught yourself."

"Yeah. Then there's the stuff like tree walking. And leaps. I'm not good at leaping. All I have to do is sit down and run a few tests, but I'm lazy. So! Coming from you, what can I improve on?"

Kakashi says, "Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Show me other ninjutsu."

So I walk up the nearest tree, try chakra skating on the snow (way fun!), make a doll out of the paper napkins we didn't use.

Kakashi doesn't tell me to stop. But I feel like I can do more than just fundamentals. I want to impress him. He's one of the best characters and this is our first introduction.

I use the Mystic Palm Technique which amounts to pressing my hands together and having them be illuminated by green. I still have yet to figure out why the chakra glows green.

At this point, Kakashi _and_ Rin huddle around me.

"Who taught you this?" Kakashi says.

"Wait, Obito said you were a first year," Rin says. "First years don't ever learn this."

I hunch up my shoulders. "It's not perfect. I just taught myself how to heal simple cuts and bruises. I can't go healing anything like deep vein thrombosis."

The two exchange a look.

Kakashi breaks her gaze to look at me. "Ah. That's all."

The green glow fades. "Were all those okay, or—"

"No. They were fine."

"Really? Is there anything else you can teach me, Kakashi-sensei?" I'm a little giddy I impressed him (even if his standards for me are low). "I'm going to become a ninja, so it would be amazing to get some help."

Kakashi tilts his head to the side. "In my opinion, you have a lot to learn. If you join the Academy, you'll be below average among royal clan children."

 _What_? No way. That's not—no, maybe it's true? But...

"Oh," I sigh.

"I can train you, though only enough to where you won't be a dead last."

Dead last. The exact opposite of Itachi. Of Kakashi.

"Okay..."

I guess my academics are far better than ninja arts. Of course. I'm stupid. I don't have a lot of time to practice taijutsu with another human being. I have even _began_ genjutsu studies to round out the big three (taijutsu, ninjutsu, genjutsu). There's no telling if my kunai and shuriken good compared to my future classmates. Despite taking a day or to practice extra fields like tracking or outdoor surviving, I doubt I can pass a test without reviewing first. I still have a long, long way to go.

"Please teach me. I'm ready to learn."

I bow deeply because I _know_ Kakashi is under no obligation to train me. Especially when he could be training. Maybe even screwing his schedule like this could be interfering with the Chidori's development. Maybe Kakashi won't learn the Rasengan.

"Stop being polite. It's strange. And I'll teach you. I need the practice, anyway."

Kakashi Hatake is the best marshmallow ever.

My first training session begins Monday after school in training ground 15. There's trees mostly buried under ice and snow and the ground is a slushy, slippery mess. Water and frost are heavy in the air. Kakashi sniffs and occasionally pulls out tissues from his ninja pouch attached to his upper leg.

"Well then," he says, looking off to the side, "shall we begin?"

My first bruise of the day begins with Kakashi's killer backhand. My jaw temporarily locked up and my Mystic Palm can't do a thing.

"It helps if you look at my core," he says. "Don't focus on a single point else you miss what's before your eyes. Be aware of everything."

I look at his stomach and my peripheral works in overtime, but he still manages to beat me up. Not even breaking a sweat.

"What's that style you use?"

"School of Waves."

"No Uchiha taijutsu? Standard?"

"Grandfather will teach me that after the war. And I like my style better. I won't waste space learning the basics."

"Basics help, though."

"But really, we can all agree that the Leaf's style is too basic. It's made so that everyone can learn it. At the very least, I don't want to be predictable."

Kakashi shrugs at this. "Fair enough. I use some of the Leaf's and another style."

Ending the conversation, it's back to utterly demolishing me.

It boils down to strength training and speed training. The most crucial of all: experience. Kakashi's got eight years on me. That's the deciding factor in this.

Other than our one-sided spars, Kakashi and I practice ninjutsu. He waggles his fingers before me. "How fast can you sign?"

I flip through the 12 signs, shaking my tingling hands afterwards. Kakashi signs faster than me. I'm like a bingo wheel-spinny-thing versus his flipbook-like speed.

"Speed helps in a lot of ways. It makes it harder for targets to read your seals and copy them for later use. Or... you can perform techniques quickly in battle," he explains what I already learned. "Work on that at your own discretion."

He teaches me how to walk on trees, water, walls, and weird, miscellaneous nature phenomena like mud, ice, and sand. It helps compensate for if a ninja lacked the proper footwear to traverse the ground properly.

Kakashi points to one of the taller trees. "Now. Get up there."

"But I can tree walk just fine?" I say.

"No. Leap. You said you were bad."

He's not wrong. I had experience with vertical jumps through the academy curriculum. But leaping into a tree is way different. It's no surprise that once my chakra bursts from the ground, enough to send my bodyweight airborne, I realize real quickly it's impossible controlling yourself in the sky.

My stomach collides into a particularly frozen branch. The air is sucked out of me, leaving what basically amounts to a shriveled raisin as my lungs. I gasp, cough, reach for my chest and want to use the Heimlich maneuver.

"That could've gone worse," chimes Kakashi. "Obito landed head first into a building."

Once I'm in decent condition, Kakashi demonstrates.

"It helps to use chakra strings to aim better. If your chakra control isn't the best, wire is a good substitute." His chakra jets out his fingertips in what amounts to Spider-Man meets 3D Maneuver Gear. He pushes off the ground and I see how he pulls himself to the chakra string, landing peacefully on a branch. "You should start low," he shouts.

I start by using chakra strings. Easy enough to do, but far more taxing to support my bodyweight. I'm forced to learn using ninja wire, thick and heavy stuff. Once I get the hang of using kunai to guide the wire, I can launch and land good enough.

It's far from graceful.

On the bright side, being so high up doesn't give me vertigo. I have so many means at my disposal to save myself should I fall off something tall.

Kakashi also gets around to teaching me nature and shape transformation ( _unlike Obito_ ). I like to think he wants to show off his skills, as he introduces his first lesson with a prototype Chidori.

It's so bright, but beautiful. The lightning crackles, whips the air around us. My hair pricks up.

Nature is silent until Kakashi cancels the lightning.

"It's nothing much," he deadpans. "Anyway. Your fireball needs to actually be a fireball. We'll start with shape first. As you saw, I used nature transformation to create lightning. I used shape to pool the energy in my hand in like a spherical shape. You're going to do the same with your fire."

I have a little bit of fire energy in my system. Nothing crazy. Kakashi _can't_ know that I can't make fire. I'd be mocked for being an Uchiha, much less an heir.

At least making a fireball is easy. It's like filling a balloon. Or breathing fire into a balloon. The energy spirals in a circle, completes a full revolution before turning inwards and resuming a smaller circle, repeats indefinitely. I don't have to worry about making infinitesimal spirals, just have to make it good enough.

It's amazingly slow-moving for that reason: it makes circles. A fireball is basically a giant boulder rolling down a hill. With all its surface area and weight, friction plus air resistance works hard at making it snail-slow. The fireball is more like a finisher or an opener to terrify the victim because, face it, it's a giant ball of _fire_ that seems to be melting the world around you and paints the world in a haunting, golden glow. _Holy shit_.

Have to admit, though, it reminds me a lot about the Rasengan. They're both spiral and spherical techniques, with the later usually lacking nature transformation. Can't help but wonder if Minato received influence from Tail Beasts _only_.

Another Uchiha staple is the Phoenix Sage Flower Technique, way easy to do. The technique is based on small, half-assed fireballs that just shoot out the mouth and distract. It's better than shuriken because of the more immediate threat it is (bladed weapons ninja see everyday versus fire that burns), but it takes away precious chakra just for a distraction.

Anyways, Kakashi alternates from teaching me sparring, to ninjutsu, and even a few practical ninja skills. He says that I should keep working on them and in a year's time, I should be average compared other clan children.

I **cannot** be average.

The end of my fourth year comes and goes with my medical exam. Winter break begins, three solid weeks of rest. For me, I worry somewhat, wondering if I should show up to med school because if my exam score sucked, I'm definitely out of the 85th percentile and kicked out for good.

For New Years, Mother, Father, Itachi, and I visit the nindera. It's the oldest temple in the entire village, hand built by Sasuke Sarutobi. The _niou_ guarding the temple are massive, monkey-bat creatures that makes a few girls whine in fear.

I was given specific instructions to not make a fool of myself in public. No giddy smiles, no compliments, I am to be an ornament behind my dad—dressed in silver and blue _kimono_ and _hakama_ —and my mom—dressed in reds the color of her ceremonial lipstick and whites the color of our emblem. On our all of our fancy, dense clothes is the Uchiha emblem.

It isn't hard to spot other Uchiha roaming the massive temple.

Many men speak to my dad, faces grim and words hushed. Mother cuts conversation after conversation short before long, making an excuse about either Itachi or me. The talking ends abruptly and carryies an invisible weight on our shoulders.

"We need to pray for this year to be the last year of war," Mother says to all of us, but focuses more on we children. "I will pray as well."

"Pray for compensation," Father mutters. "The more Uchiha forces we can get out into combat, the quicker this will end."

"Fugaku, this is a time of rest."

"It wouldn't surprise me if Lightning or Earth attacked while we pretend everything is all right."

"You posted Uchiha guards everywhere." Mother whispers something much more quiet. I miss it. Father scowls.

"They'll be using this opportunity to observe the Uchiha, no doubt," he replies.

"We have nothing to hide," Mother says, pleasant smile returning. "Let us have fun tonight."

We eventually find ourselves at the shrine for the First Hokage, a wood sculpture. At the base of the shrine is a small bowl, curved just enough for a small amount of water to sit inside. It doesn't ripple or budge. It's like glass. Wouldn't doubt the weather froze it.

Itachi and I kneel before the First. I rub some warmth into my hands and clasp them together. Itachi follows after watching. I incline my head and close my eyes.

The world still continues on. There are children laughing, food cooking, loud conversations, the unbearable dragging of feet. It's always been a little weird for me to pray. I believe in luck and miracles. I just don't believe this will accomplish anything. I want to actually _try_ and _see_ what I can do. I don't want to leave the fate of hundreds of people up to chance.

Besides, the First is no god. I doubt he'll be able to do anything.

But in the end, I resign myself. "Please bless my family with happiness."

Itachi's sotto voice drifts to my ears, "Please end the war soon. I want Father to rest. I want Mother to relax. I want Big Brother to rest. I do not need anything. Thank you for listening."

I stare at him, in awe of his crisp polite language (think Japanese with _more_ syllables and less content). He returns the look, oblivious.

"Let's hope it'll come true," I crack a smile and try to force it away. No avail.

"It has to," Itachi tells me. "War always end. Everything ends."

"Eh? Such deep words. Who taught you that?"

"Books."

Oh. Already so wise...

I tap his nose and rise. That is the only physical affection I can show him for a night like this. I look around for our parents, who wanted to pray to some other deity.

They are on the small, wooden bridge with the red railing and gold painted ornaments. A harsh wind blows Mother's dress. The white expands and billows, reminding me of ghosts. As my mom tries to contain the fabric, I see Father froze to his spot, staring at my mother, mouth slightly agape.

...knowing about Rin and Obito, I take Itachi and show him the firefly garden.

.:

"I'm 19th," I repeat.

"Yes," Kanka says, resting her chin on the back of her hands. "You'll have more leeway with the addition of students."

"Um, but they're all Yuami, though."

"I cannot very well reject help during a draft. Suck it up."

I sit at my usual spot, wanting to ask Sumomo about all of this. I want to know her class rank. How her winter break went. Kabuto.

I talk to Nae, Mitsu, and Azayaka. We get our semester three syllabus ("The Body's Response"—AKA immunology, pathology, and intro to pharmacology plus botany) and arrange a study date. Sumomo didn't show up.

I get down to the hospital, get all sanitized, and step into the recovery ward.

"Kabutan! Nonou!"

Kabuto throws his arms around me in a hug after barreling into me like a rocket. "Takenaka!"

I ruffle his hair as I watch Nonou close the distance between us. "Kabutan! How's it been going?"

"The hospital gets really busy..." He sniffs.

Nonou reaches me. I don't like her grim look.

"Nonou?"

She shakes her head.

My insides shiver, weaken, wane. Outside noises silence. My heartbeat is the only sound I hear.

"It's January," I murmur.

"She is number eight. It is for the best that she shall go cultivate her talent elsewhere."

Meanwhile I watch Aki in the distance. Her eyes are still red as she heals a sleeping man.

"She's my friend."

"She will return one day, a wonderful kunoichi."

Nonou is a horrible liar.

.:

Time is running out. Now with Obito being 13, the time he has left alive can be counted on one hand.

"I love my gifts! Thank you!"

Rin bought him a new pair of goggles with his name embroidered onto the sides. Kakashi got coupons for Obito to give the elderly so that the knucklehead can stop being late (" _Get out of carrying groceries coupon_!" for one). Kushina bought him a pair of brass knuckles.

Minato... is out on the field somewhere. Maybe killing or maybe at rest. He wrote Obito a letter that had him crying for a few minutes.

I'd gotten him a picture frame made of a deep red wood color, glossy and delicate. Team Minato rests inside, covered by glass.

The strawberry-lemon cake Kakashi made tastes better than it sounds. The sweet strawberries and bitter lemons balances each other out, and neither are acidic as they typically taste. The rest of the party is Kushina and I just storytelling. Eventually, Rin and Obito want some alone time—with Kushina vowing to break someone's head if they get too comfortable.

She's something. No wonder Minato is attracted to her like a moth to light.

She guides me home under the dying light, blue dress twirling in the gentle breeze. I can see the baggy shorts she wears underneath.

"Obito's new apartment is nice, yeah?" Kushina tucks her hands under her hair and flings it upwards where the red is a rippling flag in the wind.

"It still needs that homey touch, you know?"

"You're telling me. Rin's got that covered. I believe in her. She's got fire behind those big browns!"

I laugh politely. "I'm glad you're retired, Kushina. This day wouldn't be the same without you here."

Her brows furrow slightly. "Yeah... well, the village forced me to, so _humph_! I just want Minato! His team misses him!"

"But so does the village. He'll become Hokage at this rate."

—and Naruto, and your death—

"Yeah." She plays with her seashell bracelet. "I'm happy, anyways. His stupid grin... I can totally see it now." Kushina smiles, hides her red behind red locks.

I can see the gates leading to my home. Kushina stops.

"Thanks, Takenaka." She keeps eye contact.

I rub the back of my head, my body feeling a need to burn energy. "Oh. Er. It's nothing?"

"For Obito, numbskull. And Kakashi. He enjoys practice."

I'll bet. Seeing as he gets a chance to use me as a dummy.

"My body doesn't." I rub my shoulder dramatically. I'm awarded a gentle knock on the head.

"Got any plans, kiddo?"

"Pass my LMPE test, for one."

"...come again?"

The **L** eaf **M** edical **P** roficiency **E** xamination part one. It boils down to a benchmark measuring learning. On a four year cycle, it's held at the end of second year. I still have hope of being deployed when Obito is, so if I pass the LMPE test with an _excellent_ score, it means I'm technically at a end-level second year student.

"It's complicated," I tell Kushina. "Ask Rin about it."

The LMPE is new. Tsunade didn't take it. If she were still here, she'd probably get a perfect score. Regardless, I still have to take it.

"Noted. And, uh, I've always wanted to ask ya something."

"Hm?"

"Obito said he met you when you were real young. But you had all kinds of advice about women at that age? Are you some kind of womanizer wannabe?" She arcs a perfect eyebrow as she gazes suspiciously.

I put up both my palms and wave. "No! I learn from my grandpa, really! He's the kind of man who used his heir status like a prince!"

I've only met him before my mind was fully here in this world. A robed man with a white, fuzzy face. I heard him complain about Father making me spoiled and complacent, and that I should be the perfect man for any woman. He then told me of his Casanova experiences—yes, me, a toddler. Most of the tales included him mentioning how attractive girls saw strong heirs as, biologically speaking.

"An Uchiha?" Kushina blinks.

"Yes," I smile. "My grandfather, Takenaka Uchiha."

"Oh! Oh... isn't that confusing? Well, least I know that Mikoto is _such_ a creative baby namer. Almost makes me think you weren't planned," she says, aside.

 _You have no idea_. "Grandfather doesn't live in the compound. Anyways, I'll see you later, Kushina. I want to study."

 _No, not really._ _ **Help me**_ _._

"Right. Won't hold you up." Kushina ruffles my hair and pulls away, grin even wider now. "See you later, Takenaka. Hope you pass that _limpy_ test!"

.:

Odd feelings hang in the air ever since Sumomo left unexpectedly. The gang decreased to four: Azayaka, Mitsu, Nae, and me. To my dismay, I realize that because they're still here and because of their seemingly little worry over Sumomo, she's not the reason why we come together.

 _How dare you leave me alone? You were the one begging me to stay_.

It's even more alarming to notice that even though she's gone, I haven't stopped learning medicine.

What if I forget she existed?

"—should recruit a Yamanaka, huh?" A punch to the shoulder jerks me to reality. Nae smirks at my side.

"For botany stuff? Totally. Sometimes I just go to the Yamanaka Flower Shop and just ask different clerks to guide me through the plants." The three continue talking with that measly input.

I'm not normally this quiet. I normally can't wait to babble. Everything I've experienced or read comes to mind and out my mouth. I want their feedback, their reactions, their thoughts. Humans are all so unique and amazing like that. Now the thought of anything just seems too personal to talk about or needs too much energy.

I'm being a big baby. Sighing, I force myself to socialize.

"Taking the LMPE1 this Saturday," I begin.

Mitsu is quick to say, "Only you got 20k to blow off three times."

My score was first a 48 of 160. It bumped up to 81. At the rate I'm going, I should retest four or five times in total.

"How all my friends become overachievers?" Nae grabs her cheeks and pulls down. "You're bruisin my ego, here!"

"I think the Yuami and Ichigo are taking it, too. But you don't really have to..." Azayaka hunches his shoulders. "You'll be put in Uma's honor classes at this rate."

"Huh?" With everything going on in my world, I can't just know all the little details. " _What_ honor class?"

"Well—Kanka-sensei is an honor freshman class. We were going to be assigned a normal sophomore teacher unless we can get recommendations for Uma-sensei's honor sophomore class. But... if you do the LMPE1... they've got no choice but to put you in his class."

"I want a normal class," Mitsu says. "Lost so much sleep and hair in Sensei's class."

"Same here!" The girls high five.

Aki is in an honor class. Considering how Danzou looked over her, she must have got in via a recommendation. If she passed an LMPE1, Danzou would've been able to see her intelligence and would've taken her instead.

At any rate, I take my exam for a third time in a study room with Hideri, Migaki, Ichigo, and three older students. Our proctor is a stranger. I'm slowly becoming desensitized to the process. First time I took the LMPE1, I was a nervous wreck. Today, I slouch in my desk and whisper to the boy behind me.

Results come back three weeks later. _127 out of 160_. My raw score. There's the converted score and an explanation for the areas I did the best/worst in. I scored in the 70th percentile of test takers that day only.

No surprise to hear that the other three got 80th and above.

My first year draws to a close with my fourth test in April. We're all moving forward onto second year after the month break is over. A small ceremony is held, but it's nothing like my high school graduation.

The greatest thing is swapping out my lanyard color with the year two color. The next best thing is popping up at the hospital with my new ID—a second year student under Uma.

Kabuto yanks the ID with it still attached around my neck. "Cool! You're like Aki-aki now!"

"Yup..." I cough and spare a glance at Aki. Her lanyard is updated to year three, a person named Rei-sensei. "Congratulations on graduating."

Aki stares at her lanyard and nods. I'm assuming that means _Thanks! You too!_

Obito and Kakashi manage to throw a party. Minato is in the hospital, which led to Kushina and Rin to fuss over his health. The party is nothing more than chocolate cake and congratulations.

The year tips forward. Still no sign of Obito's death.

School resumes. Uma-sensei has barely changed since I last met him. He's a similar teacher to Kanka, though he moves with a bit more grace as his muscled body is more agile than the natural body fat of Kanka, with her being a wet nurse, and all.

Only ten people are in this class that I know—Hideri, Migaki, Ichigo, and recognizable faces in the crowd. Migaki actually looked shocked to see me in the same class before he turned away.

He's even more shocked when Uma prioritizes me over all the students crowded at his desk, basically carrying me out the room and into his office.

"I have talked to Fugaku," he states, wasting no time. "He comes in monthly. Thanks to your mother."

She's awesome sometimes. (All the time.)

"I know you're not a psychologist, but do you think Father has any kind of... trauma?" I say.

Uma inclines his head. "I can tell that as his teacher. A wound exists beneath the surface. Fished recently?"

"No. The war and—"

"Please. If you love something, you make time for it. Simple as that."

"Well... I can't do much. I'm a kid." I gesture to myself.

"Fugaku—when he is hurt—has a tendency to..."—Uma gropes for the words—"over-exaggerate his interpersonal relations. Meaningless relations become unwavering loyalty. He quickly rejects strangers wanting to enter his life. It makes him more unpredictable. He fights as if his team was constantly on the verge of death while he remains strong."

Is Father secretly Obito or is this just an Uchiha thing? How am I going to fix that? Whatever happens, I _need_ to prioritize Obito right now. He's the one in danger of dying soon.

.:

Second year is a bit more like a specialized first year. We have these clerkships or rotations where we learn specific fields in excruciating detail. Considering how stressed I am, I choose easy clerkships. The first is pediatrics, a six week rotation. Coming back from summer break, I take up Field Medicine, an extracurricular rotation.

(By which I mean all medics have to take core rotations, but they can spice up their learning with a few extracurriculars.)

This is where Mystic Palm comes in. Everything I am taught is tricks, hacks, and tips for the fastest most effective healing techniques on the field. The handbook to field medicine isn't as thick as my growing medical textbook collection.

Sometime in early October, when the wind is only a little annoying, Rin shows up at med school. First she looks around, eyes a little teary. She then looks at me and grins.

"Can you guess why I'm happy, Takenaka?"

I tilt my head. "Obito proposed?"

"Ah, no!" Her face could rival Kushina. "We're just friends!"

 _Sure._ "What is it then?"

The girl clasps her hands together and giggles. "It's Kakashi's Jounin promotion. Considering how Kakashi and you have gotten to know each other, I hope you can get him a present as well!"

.: **SIX END** :.

* * *

 **(Oh, great, now the Paralympics can distract me now.)**

 ***!* I know this may have been a bit rushed, but I decided to rush instead of bog the story down with a lot of details! If you are one of the few readers who dislike this decision, I'll be creating** _ **Countermeasures of Light**_ **(so creative) that specifically focuses on things that I didn't want to include in the main story! *!***

 **Once again, thank you for the warm reception! It really motivates me to publish these as quickly as I can, while having it be satisfying to read.**

 **This won't be some kind of medical drama. I've planned a lot of this out already, and I like to pre-establish key concepts before using them in later chapters. Course you're then treated to things that may not have immediate relevance, but I'll take the risk.**

 **(I'm not sure if you noticed all my foreshadowing. Perhaps they're too vague! There are three scenes in this chapter that I've foreshadowed in earlier chapters, so if you feel like re-reading, have at it!)**

 **REVIEWS**

 *** Thanks for reading, anyways! I definitely don't expect everyone to enjoy this! That's crazy unreasonable! I'll admit, this is a little slow and info-heavy. And I've brought so much attention to his headaches because it'll be used in the future. And the things Takenaka will do must be reasonably justified.**

 **I** _ **will**_ **answer the next reviews next chapter, just a bit in a rush because** _ **spring break**_ **! My goal is to have it published by the end of this month. Thanks for reading; have a slap-tastic day.**

-10 Mar, 2018.


	10. ZERO: SEVEN

**Forewarning, possible graphic material? Like TWO, SEVEN keeps things vague. Happy Pi Day~**

* * *

 _We never really learn from_

 _our first mistake or the second or third._

 _It only hits us when we are given_

 _the last chance._

Anonymous

* * *

 **A Measure of Darkness**

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." Reincarnation!OC

— Robert Frost, _Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening_

* * *

 **SEVEN**

 _ **A Measure of Darkness**_

 _The Great Bridge — Finale_

* * *

"It's Kakashi's Jounin promotion. Considering how Kakashi and you have gotten to know each other, I hope you can get him a present as well!"

 _Huh_. The day is almost here. A few days after his promotion, Kakashi leads his own squad. One of his members refuses to give him a gift until he lies under a boulder, dying.

It's _the_ day to save the first Uchiha, one of many. I don't feel prepared but I doubt I ever will be.

"Ah," I grunt to basically continue the conversation with minimal effort. Rin, as chatty as she is, keeps speaking.

I'm lost in my thoughts, wondering if the present I get him should be a cryptic warning for the future. Even if Kakashi and Obito aren't so openly hostile to one another, their antagonistic relationship wasn't the reason Rin was captured.

The girl in question managed to drag me to a market section, where I soon find myself walking home with a rose quartz gem in hand. Something about protective qualities? I wasn't listening.

I quickly tuck the gem in my pocket as I cross into the Uchiha Compound. Nearing my home, I see Father has his belongings packed up and he wears his Jounin uniform.

"Leaving again?" I say.

He looks at me with a touch of detachment, nothing fatherly. Father pulls at his long sleeve and states, "The one who leaves is _us_."

I had formatted the question wrong in my head all due to him adding the subject last. So after rephrasing, my heart skips a beat.

"Where are we going? I have medical school, though. I'll get behind—"

"Unimportant," he says. "Do you remember your prediction last December?" I nod cautiously. "Somehow, your prediction was extremely accurate."

Father folds his arms over his chest, gaze frosty.

"Naturally, I've researched into your extracurricular life. It is impossible for you to have been betraying the Leaf. The only conclusion I can surmise is that you predicted this event entirely."

"Well..." Making a ninja suspicious is a death sentence. "It's not as if Earth is unpredictable. They're stubborn, traditional people."

Father grunts. "Impressive to have such an analytical mind at a young age. Do you mind if I put it to the test?"

"Huh?"

He closes his eyes, a bit smug. "I've confirmed the plan the Yellow Flash. The son of the White Fang will lead the party via his Jounin status. Because of his role, it would be for the best to have three ninja at his disposal. One of which being a medical ninja."

He's talking... like he's giving me a mission with _Kakashi_ and _Minato_. It's a little unbelievable.

Is this some kind of trap? Or... no, Father wouldn't do anything that hasn't been done in the past.

But I suppose toddlers who know the future isn't something that can be recreated easily. He must be thinking outside the box.

That's bad. There's no telling what he'll do next.

"At any rate, we leave this evening. The Yellow Flash and I will take a route apart from your own. Mission details will be explained by the bequest of your leader." Punctuating his sentence, he hands me my already packed bag. I slip on the heavy thing comparable to my med school backpack. "One final thing: be careful."

Team Kakashi is expected to meet at the northwest exit. As I run along the rooftops—difficult considering the house on my back—I see them in the distance. Three teenagers that shouldn't have to go through this mess at all.

Kakashi leans against a building with a faux bored expression while Rin teases a flustered Obito. Minato is nowhere around. He must trust Kakashi a lot.

" _Takenaka_!" shouts Obito. "I see! He's the third member! I actually thought the green bean was gonna be it!"

Rin pokes his elbow. "Guy said he was sorry, Obito."

"He's still really friggin green, though!"

I can finally stop moving. I'm breathing a little heavy. I slow my breaths while they chat, eventually bowing and saying, "Thank you for allowing me to attend this mission. I'm... probably the last choice, but I thank you all anyway."

They probably didn't have a choice considering my dad.

"It's no problem, kiddo!" Obito stands me up and ruffles my hair. "It's just a simple mission! Nobody'll get hurt! I won't allow that to happen, you know!"

I force a laugh.

"I look forward to seeing how our training sessions have worked," adds Kakashi, a slight nod at me.

"Yup, Kakashi-sensei!"

It still really _bugs_ me how different he is. Time won't let me forget. He's supposed to be a stickler for the rules. Rin doesn't love Obito. But as I never really met Kakashi or Rin until now, I can't ask Obito directly why did everyone change.

What piece changed everything?

Obito was fated to win his second Chuunin Exams without my help.

Surely the three went onto the Sand mission in canon, save for the fact Obito nearly died protecting Rin and almost ruined my fourth birthday party.

And then the Uchiha brat uses my head as an arm rest.

"Here's your time to see me in action, y'know!" Obito's grin is bright and goofy. "It'll be like watching a movie, Takenaka!"

I'd rather be an actor.

I grunt quietly to keep Obito going, not really knowing what it implied, but that doesn't stop the hyper knucklehead. I don't want Obito out of my sight. If something goes wrong... if Madara—I need to know.

I hug him. I feel how the sudden act makes him freeze up.

I concentrate.

My artic water like chakra is washed out by Obito's lava chakra. He has an insane amount of physical energy. Maybe that's why he's not dead from the explosion so long ago. But this imbalance means his ninjutsu doesn't work well.

Spiritual and physical energies. Balance. Though mine tips slightly in favor of spiritual, I still do my best to maintain an active lifestyle to keep the energies as close to equilibrium as possible.

When I let go, I can still feel his chakra.

"Hey! Don't do sudden—" Obito stops. He opens and closes his mouth wordlessly while I focus on his energy. "We're going to be okay. Have a little faith, eh?"

Would Rin or Kakashi let me hug them, too? No, not Kakashi. He'll Replace into a scarecrow with a _henohenomoheji_ and a rain check. I think Obito might get jealous if I hugged Rin; or, she's a smart cookie and she'll know I'm doing something weird.

We're moving before long. Night swallows us all, especially Kakashi and I with our dark blues. We move without too much of a rush. Obito manages to control his chitchat. A while later, Kakashi starts to whisper.

"The mission is simple," begins the new Jounin. "Disguise and infiltrate. Get as close to the Kanabi Bridge as needed and demolish it. We will be cutting the Earth supply line short," he adds with a pointed look to Obito.

"Oh. Gotcha!"

"Disguise and infiltrate?" I say. I _know_ what the words mean. I just don't recall that happening in the series. No, it definitely didn't happen like that.

"Yeah. Just over this hill, and we'll get our uniforms."

 _Uniforms_?

Kakashi digs up an innocent looking hole. Out of it comes a thick briefcase that still has a new smell, beyond the general dirt aroma. He flips the locks and three uniforms are there. Red and brown.

Soon they dress and it's like looking at Earth ninja wearing the faces of those I care about.

"Brown is ugly color on me," Obito huffs, rolling the sleeves down, dismayed the red stops at his wrists. He looks strange without his goggles, the old ones, on. "At least Rin looks pretty in red."

Rin giggles. She attached her pink apron on the uniform for a more feminine touch. She even tied her hair back with a red bandanna and a forehead protector.

Kakashi looks the least different. His uniform has the the sleeves removed. He puts back on his arm bracers and twirls a kunai in his hand. "Everyone all good? Remember our names are irrelevant, but our last names are powerful. It won't do if you tell Earth you're an Uchiha, Obito."

"I wouldn't do that intentionally!"

There is a bag remaining in the briefcase. "And me?"

Kakashi's gaze follows my own. "Oh. Standard Earth Medical Force uniform. Here—"

Their uniform is way more baggy on me compared to the Leaf's. A red kanji is painted on the front and back, the character for healing. I even get to wear a hat that reminds me of the military back in my old world. Sadly, I have to part with my mask (earning teasing from Obito). But I can't say goodbye to this heavy ass backpack enough.

With my height and decent chakra reserves for my age, I can pass for a Genin. Once my hands are gloved up and my shinobi shoes traded for ultra comfortable medical-nin boots, we resume walking.

"We're guiding Takenaka to the bridge," Kakashi continues. "That means the course we take will loop around the Hidden Grass to make it appear as if we traveled from Earth. The type of medic Takenaka is portraying is the one who checks out damages from explosions. We have intel that suggests a large portion of the supplies are intended for the Explosion Corps."

"So we're demolishing the bridge," I say, "but you don't have any explosives? Are you going to use Earth's supplies to blow it up?"

"You're exactly correct. As this is a disguise mission, it would not do to have Leaf-made explosives in enemy territory that practically invented them."

Okay. This is okay. We should be far away from Obito's death site. At any rate, I'm not going to be constantly worrying when I can be _doing_ things that will save his life.

"Will Rin still remain a medic?" I say.

"No," she replies instead. "Whenever there is a team, a proportionate amount of medics are ascribed. All medics or shinobi with some education in medicine or botany are required to fulfill the medic role. Since _you're_ our medic, I'm not bound by medic laws but shinobi laws!" She sticks her tongue out, laughing.

Ah. Okay. Then I'm forced to follow Tsunade's Creed and the Mito Uzumaki Compromise. In short, I cannot hurt any enemy. I must rely on these three to not get me killed.

(I feel nervous?)

The only time I'm able to fight back is if I am the last standing member of the team. Then a medic's priority is to collect their member's corpses or to not die and force the Leaf to be out a medic.

In hindsight, it makes sense I'm the medic. I'm the weakest and least experienced member. Like this, I should be far away from danger.

"I'm not really a licenced medic," I say, throwing in a cheeky grin. "Don't really expect for me to heal you guys."

"Don't be like that." Rin looks at me with bright eyes under the starry sky, hands crossed behind her back like an innocent schoolgirl. "I happen to think you're a talented boy already."

"Well... just because of that, I'll make sure I won't harm you when I heal you."

Obito is very quick to reply, "Hey! You mean you were going to hurt me and Kakashi?"

"Not _intentionally_. But if mistakes are made..."

"You're too cruel to be so young!"

"On the bright side, once this is all over, I'm sure only _you_ 'll need healing, anyways. Kakashi is Kakashi; Rin is a medic. And then there's you, our most gutsy, fearless ninja."

"Oh yeah!" Obito reaches for his goggles. With them absent, his hand gropes empty space. He tries to cover his obvious mistake with a wide grin. "I'm gonna be Hokage one day!"

And maybe I can make his dream come true.

It's dawn by the time we rest. Since Earth is active during day and we want to be seen as little as possible, dinner and sleep are at the brightest points of the day. Many wildlife and people are active so we sleep for very short bursts of two hours, three times.

They, older than me, more experienced than me, aren't too affected by the sudden sleep change. I find myself wanting to get in my bed and sleep off this soreness and pounding headache.

At night we continue with a brisk jog. I don't have the stamina to be jogging for very long but I definitely try my hardest. Eventually I have to be carried on Obito's or Rin's backs as Kakashi—the Jounin-sensei and strongest member—has to remain in peak physical condition.

"Have you been feeling extra fatigued lately?" Kakashi says with a nod over his shoulder at me as we jog.

"Guess so," is my response, almost incoherent from my gasping.

"There's a simple explanation for that—we've crossed into a different time zone." His voice lowers into something I consider a super nerdy voice. "We are now one hour behind the Leaf. However, Earth and its capital, Rock, doesn't endorse our time zone. When we're in their territory, don't think of it as Leaf time minus one hour, but simply Leaf time."

 _What_? That's so needlessly complicated! But I guess if you really hate a country, you just might do irrational garbage like that.

At any rate, our loop is halfway completed. We're at the remains of the Hidden Dust Village, a former hidden village of Earth that both Wind and Earth fought for until nothing was left, and we decide to rest for the day before heading to Grass. The Dust is a funny blend of Wind-style buildings and Earth-style buildings. There are adobe homes decorated by cloth that was once a pure white color, now turned yellowish, brown, and crisp. There are the typical earth and mud buildings of Earth, followed by beautiful statues cracked and chipped by time.

The ground is half stable rock and half slippery sand. I like to think the sand remains from the Battle of the Dust only a decade ago.

 _This_ is why I love history. I can see the village and can imagine the people who risked their lives for territory, resulting in a draw. Just under my feet should be more than a hundred liters of blood. Perhaps even decomposed corpses or lost weapons.

"You don't even look scared," Obito complains with a wary look. "You just missing a sense of danger?"

"There's nothing scary about this. It's completely fascinating. The air's a bit more thin, scents are a bit difficult to detect. I've never felt such silky sand before!"

I talk to Obito about everything I know about this place up until Rin cuts the conversation short. What was supposed to be a light jab turns into silence once I see her pinched brows.

"What's wrong, Rin?" Obito, too, tenses and peeks his head out the adobe window.

"Kakashi said he sensed other ninja." Rin bites her lip.

" _Whaaa_? No one ever comes here!"

"We can't be too sure of that. We're so far away."

A cool wind pushes all of us from behind. We all spin around to face the breeze, expecting a confrontation, only to find Kakashi.

"Three enemy ninja, Wind," he clips. "We can't have our cover blown. They die."

"Um, _no_ ," Obito says. "Tie them up. Then Rin can use her green hands to comatose 'em!"

(He's right. Too much chakra via Mystical Healing Palm Technique will result in coma.)

"Fighting to kidnap will take too much time and effort. After all, I'm sure they aren't in the mood to let us go."

"We're the good guys and good guys don't just murder because it's easy!"

"I don't want any of you getting hurt, Obito, Rin, Takenaka."

"So have faith in your teammates! We'll knock them down no problem!"

Kakashi is only 13. Yet his exhausted expression makes him seem so much older. With a look to Rin, he acquiesces. "Rin, with me. Obito and Takenaka, you can use your Fireball for a distraction. Distractions aren't infractions of your rule, huh? Rin and I will sedate them from behind."

Unease fills my stomach. It's exhilarating. But someone might end up hurt.

I mean, can a good guy kill? If not killing kills more allies than killing, are they really good?

What good are morals if you're an assassin?

I'm pretty certain my dad already knows the answer to these questions. It's brought the mindset that the life of a shinobi is nothing but violence and war.

I follow Obito as he goes and intercepts our new targets with the coordinates Kakashi gave. My arms are straight arrows behind me as I run behind Obito, feeling the high winds graze my fingertips. Obito then stops and skids to a halt, leaving me to quickly do the same before I run into him. His Tiger seal is ready to go. I mirror him.

Obito chuckles. "It's... kinda cool."

"What?"

"I've never fought side-by-side with an Uchiha like this. You know, I feel super powerful. Guess that's why we've got a lotta pride."

"Pride is a good thing. Arrogance is not. There's a fine line between the two, Big Brother."

From the top of the hill, fine dust clouds from feet drift upwards like cigarette smoke.

"Heh. Is that so?"

His response is meaningless but it helps us to burn away our nervous energy.

The first head peers over the curve, a face mostly covered by a brown mask and black goggles. The person's torso comes into view and we see it is a man followed by two other men. A team of three.

"Ready?"

"Yeah."

I go through the seals faster, but the time to convert the stolen energy within me makes it so that when we both breathe out, it's nearly in sync.

Obito's fire is bigger than mine while mine glows a bright blue. The orange and blue mesh at the center. A violet color.

The slow moving spheres of energy hit the ground and sets everything up in flames.

Obito has to activate his Sharingan to see past the disorienting colors. "One of them is a little injured. Yeah, definitely Wind. Sand and Wind are shit at defeating Fire."

Obito pulls out a kunai and hands me one as well. It's the same metal I'm used to throwing with. Aside from a few chips and scratches and dirt dried onto the handle fiber.

Then I watch as the two members leap off building walls, unaffected by the blaze, and head towards us, hands moving in sync.

I didn't realize it before now.

It's _terrifying_ watching your enemy prepare a technique and you don't know what's going to happen. If you aren't quick, it's all too easy to become a nameless shinobi and have a sudden, insignificant death.

The men tear off their masks—scarred, unbelievably dried mouths—and blow. A clear surge distorts their image. The fast-moving winds accelerate to us.

I prepare Replacement while Obito uses his eyes to avoid the winds. I find myself in a balcony overlooking the battle while the winds rip through what was me. With the severed log dropping on the ground, the two face Obito.

One throws shuriken. A sweet scent fills the air. An oily scent. A little familiar. Obito easily avoids the blade and retorts with Phoenix Sage Flower Technique. Both parties resort to dodging.

I look away from the fight, wondering where the rest of my team is at. I see, running along rooftops, Kakashi with the legendary White Chakra Sabre in hand and while Rin has a small Rasengan. Blues and whites and the clear-colored wind. They are in a deadly dance with the third enemy, rather than aiming for a quick death.

Obito isn't making much progress with it being two versus one. The Sharingan makes everything easier to see and react, but he has limits. The Wind ninja alternate between throwing weapons and casting techniques. Obito is wise enough to not use taijutsu against man twice his height and strength.

It smells like a plant. Definitely something familiar.

Beautiful lady.

Eye drops.

Pupils.

"Nightshade." A little more hysterically, " _Nightshade_."

I remember from pharmacology. Those weapons are poisoned. They litter the ground. A prick is probably enough to murder Obito right here.

 _Duh._ The Wind specializes in poison.

I knew they wanted to kill us. I know we're not supposed to kill them. But it's really stupid. We're _kill_ ers. Everything we're taught and feed teach us to murder. Why join a profession and not like that they murder? I refuse to let Obito's kindness get him killed.

I ready another Replacement. Without anything to pop the afterimage? of me, it'll remain here. I focus on pushing my chakra to the bigger guy's back.

A darkness too fast for my mind to comprehend flashes before me. I'm left with a sense of cold before I reorient. I've hit his back, sent him tumbling to the ground. Before he can reach me, I brush my kunai around his neck, making sure to wedge the blade between the second and third cervical vertebrae. Even without checking his vitals I know he's dead.

I don't hear Obito admonishing me. That's because the other has a kunai drenched in fluid dripping at Obito's neck. The man speaks of him being an Uchiha.

Our cover is completely blown. But they'll be dead. The dead can keep secrets.

It's all too easy to Replace and copy the exact same thing. Only that after days of running, poor sleep, a Fireball, and three Replacements it all exhausts my body so much that I nearly collapse into the blood pouring from the man.

Obito puts me over his shoulder.

"I said no killing."

The fire starts to die down, the chakra used to fuel the flames begins to run out.

"They use poisons. If Big Brother slipped up, Big Brother would be dead. Would Rin or Kakashi be happy? Kushina? Minato?"

"Why're you so okay with this?" His tone is less angry and more tired.

"Father understands what shinobi do. If you want, you don't have to kill. But if you're about to die, I'll definitely kill whoever wants to kill you."

Obito starts walking in a particular direction. He can probably see his teammates. He fails to reply, other than grinding his teeth. With ease, he steps through the weakening flames. My own fire energy is very low. I make a mental note to start a campfire sometime.

Kakashi and Rin are alright. At their feet, the unconscious third member.

"Where are the others?" Rin says, standing on the tips of her toes to see past the flames.

"Dead," replies Obito.

"Eh? You said we couldn't..."

"Poisons. It... they... it wasn't easy. Sorry. So what next?"

Kakashi seals our victim inside a storage scroll made for dead bodies and leaves it in a conspicuous place for someone to happen by. Nobody really questions it. None of us are particularly new to war.

He then goes around and surveys the damage. We don't really need to fix the damage the fire caused, but there are two corpses that need disposing. Rin is about to aid Kakashi in doing so, but he holds up a hand that pauses her.

"Obito," he says, "you killed this man?"

"Yeah, so what?" He shuffles me higher on his back.

"Only a kunai?" Kakashi just keeps his eyes locked on the drying red.

"It _worked_ , didn't it?"

"All right. Rin, we'll seal these up. And their weapons, too."

Kakashi agrees to let us rest for the night in the Dust. After what had happened, no one is eager to sleep in Wind-built houses. Instead, we choose a decent Earth building littered with dead beetles.

As we're indoors, we all agree on a campfire. Kakashi rearranges the vent in the building so that the smoke empties out the house discreetly rather than a smoke cloud signaling we're here.

Rin, probably haven sensed the somewhat sour mood, claps her hands together and says brightly. "Right, Kakashi! We all have presents for you, as our new Jounin!"

Kakashi, on the edge of the light, seems to want to disappear. "Ah... that isn't necessary."

"Yeah huh!" Obito is digging into his shirt. "Ask your dogs to hold onto these gifts, all right? I don't want you losin this."

I take out the rose quartz. Its pink glistens with the firelight.

"Here's my present first." Rin bows as she hands Kakashi his present.

Kakashi takes the box and undoes the cord keeping the cloth wrapped around. In the box are three scrolls, embroidered with gold and silver calligraphic Japanese characters. The elegance reminds me of Karada's handwriting he forced me to mimic when I was little.

"Rin, _thank you_." Kakashi stares at the girl with huge eyes, tone low with barely concealed excitement.

"Hey! Me next! Look at it!"

Obito shoves his gifts in Kakashi's hands. Said gift is a clear jar of cinnamon powder—going by the smell.

"Eh?" I say. "Is Kakashi a pastry chef now?"

"No, I just heard that cinnamon's real good at getting rid of bad spirits and nightmares," Obito says. "You like it Kakashi?"

"Yes. Thank you." Kakashi holds the jar tightly.

"Er, I'm last, huh? Here you go..." It feels anticlimactic to hand Kakashi my rose quartz. He even holds it in his hands, looking at me for guidance. "I... um, it's got healing properties. For protection and strength." I shrug. "I like miscellaneous charms."

"Then this will be my good luck charm. Thank you."

My words abandon me. I give him a thumbs up.

Kakashi soon summons Pakkun to hold onto his scrolls and jar. He tucks my gem in his pocket.

"So anyway," I'm mumbling, "why did you get Kakashi those scrolls, Rin?"

"Oh! Kakashi's been really interested in Sealing Techniques lately," Rin says. "He's been bugging Minato-sensei, and Kushina, and Jiraiya-sama occasionally."

"That's funny. I never knew Kakashi liked sealing."

I look at him pointedly.

"Just needed an inspiration," replies the enigma laconically.

"Give up, kiddo." Obito ruffles my hair. "He won't even tell _us_. Anywho, all this sand brings back me to the old days..."

"The diplomacy mission? The one you nearly died in, Big Brother?"

He winces. "Not _that_ bit. Everything else."

I decide to try naivety. But being as I am, I wonder if they believe this "toddler" is capable of it. Obviously I go for Rin first, the most warm and social of the three.

"It terrified me when I got the news from Kushina! I really thought Big Brother was going to die. But he fought through it. You must've been really scared too, huh, Rin?"

The sweet girl pulls at her bandanna. "Yes... it wasn't nice, for sure. I missed Obito. I didn't realize his value until it could've been gone."

"Was Kakashi scared, too?" Kakashi's eyes don't reveal anything significant. "Big Brother told me you two used to fight. I don't know if that's still true..."

"It was complicated. Everything was... still is. A little less so," he fumbles. "A boy whom everyone hated sacrificed his life, nearly died, and yet there were people who grieved. Minato-sensei... Kushina..."

He trails off.

Now I'm aware of the solemn atmosphere surrounding us. I can't pressure them anymore. I'm so confused, but I guess I'm not as charismatic as Naruto. I can't get an entire flashback.

"When I become a Genin," I state, eyes lingering on every one of them, "I want my team to be just like you three. You're a family more than friends. You've bonded through tough days and happy days. You're inseparable."

"Mhm!" Rin bobs her head in agreement.

Kakashi closes his eyes turned crescent from happiness.

"It's all thanks to me," Obito chuckles. "You just gotta believe harder and harder and it'll come true, no matter what! That's the secret to life!"

"That's right, Obito!"

"With his track record, I don't doubt him."

When I become a Genin one day...

I'll have a team. I really do want to rely on them, just like Team Minato.

Life was hard when I was 18. I hadn't even gone down the route of buying a house or car, not my own family or wedding. But I knew it was hard. Money ruled the world; loans and debts were going to be my future.

The world is so much better together than alone.

.:

I volunteer to snuff out the campfire and we resume our trek back to Grass. We have to take shortcuts and rarely traversed paths to avoid meeting other Earth forces. Most of terrain I see is either infinitely long plains or rocky, dried earth from previous battles. In some places, I see the remains of weapons forgotten by their wielders.

We know we've reached Grass by the distant sound of explosions. At this point we travel by trees. Grass is notorious for its, well, grass and its greatest advantage is the abundance of the flat terrain. It makes sneak attacks impossible.

Obito leaps particularly high and I'm able to see the backs of Earth shinobi charging so predictably at the Fire shinobi. No signs of Minato or my dad.

"I thought the Yellow Flash would be here," I murmur to Obito only.

"He said he'll be here to monitor the battle strategy. They want Sensei as a general," Obito says to me, just as quiet.

"He isn't a general already?"

"He is, but this'll be his promotion."

"Congratulations..."

Obito grunts in response.

Team Minato lands on grounds deep in the Fungi Forest. The oh-so creative name probably comes from the abundance of sun-hiding trees with fungi growing up the sides. Maybe it has to do with the above average size of the Fungi Forest's mushrooms. A brief smell of decay fills the air, along with water and dampness. I slide off Obito's back and find the ground a bit too soft.

"We'll arrive in forty minutes," Kakashi reports.

"The sun's setting though," I say. It bothers me to see the pitch black shadows the forests casts, hear insects chirps I've never heard before.

"Exactly. This operation can't be completed otherwise."

I look at Obito. He watches me back, face fatigued by something more exhausting than our journey. "All right?"

He rubs his head. "Will be. Just thinkin too much. All right, let's do this!"

"Obito," Rin chides lightly, casting him a curious look. The two have a silent conversation with their eyes. Rin seems to lose as she reluctantly turns and tells Kakashi we're ready to move.

There is no moon tonight. The sky is black. Kakashi guides us through scent, Obito tells us things his Sharingan sees. Rin holds onto Obito's wrist.

My father taught me a year ago about using chakra for limited night vision. I really hadn't used it in forever, especially with my first attempt at chakra suppression taking me by surprise.

The technique uses my breathing to push bits of chakra out. It'll travel a straight line unless it hits something. Then I know to avoid it. The only issue is that it's a highly visible technique because of the glowing chakra. The technique is best used at home in one's own terrain.

The footsteps we make—no louder than the insect chirping—stop.

Fire appears from nowhere. I, behind everyone, crouch to the ground in Obito's shadow, hoping that whoever is there, they'll mistakenly expect three people.

It's a woman. Her uniform is torn and bloody. A few holes shows off the body she has underneath. Especially all the tattoos written in blue ink. In her hands is a torch burning bright.

"What ya'll doing up?" says she, voice deep for a woman.

"Chuunin with a Genin medic," Kakashi says, shrugging. "Here to drop him off and run before the battle starts up again."

"Earth ain't raised no cowards." Her eyes darken.

"Earth ain't raised no Chuunin to fight, either. We do what Tsuchikage-sama demands from us. We said we deliver a medic, we do."

"Why only one?"

Kakashi doesn't respond. I take I should speak up now. I walk into the light cast by the torch and start off with a quick bow.

"Explosion expert medic. There are a lot of explosives being carried across Kanabi. To free up Chuunin and Jounin medics, I've been assigned to see that the explosives do not injure foolish shinobi."

My heart is beating so hard. I could definitely die right here.

"Some of 'em are retarded." The woman jerks her head back. "Follow me. I'll guide ya."

"Shouldn't you be resting, though?" Kakashi says.

She pauses mid-stride. "I'm supposed to be patrolling tonight. Quit messing around and let's go. I don't trust them sneaky Lightning and Fire shinobi."

We've got no choice. Even if we knew we can defeat her, someone will get suspicious she didn't return. If we give a ninja any reason to be suspicious, we might as well throw in the towel.

She moves far more slowly than our pace. She looks at the trees, the whites of animals' eyes reflected in the darkness. It takes us everything we have not to act twitchy and keep calm.

Obito and Rin keep signing something to each other as we walk.

After a while, Kakashi takes a silent yet deep breath. I see his stomach stretch out far. He meets Obito and Rin's eyes.

Like that, three ninja are charging, kunai in hand.

The woman stops and spirals, first taking Rin's wrist and flinging her away, then using her arm bracers to block Obito and Kakashi's blades. The four dash away from each other. Rin flickers to the boys' sides, leaves still stuck in her hair.

I'm lost.

I crouch down so I become less of a derp standing in daze and pretend I'm a hardened ninja waiting for his time to strike.

Rin dashes to the woman first and water is pulled from the ground. It lashes at the kunoichi. Kakashi is up next, electrifying the water.

The woman backflips onto a tree. The lightning-enhanced water reaches her the roots. Hot blueish white electricity snakes up the tree she rests on. She bounds off it, hands flying fast—I catch Ram—and the earth pierces the ground around the three.

Obito, airborne, throws chakra-enhanced kunai. Blue streaks whip through the night lit by the eerie white of Kakashi's lightning. The woman, a blur, dodges and I see a flash of a tag before smoke. It's Kakashi who touches the ground first. He disperses the smoke.

She's not there.

"Look around you," Kakashi urges, darting his head around, sniffing.

Obito's chakra turns to me and accelerates.

At that moment, the ground rocks and my feet fly.

Can't breathe. I start to reach for my neck to find skin in the way. Straining muscles. Not my body. I can feel a hot breath. I try for a Replacement, but she snatches my hands and squeezes so hard, I'm sure they'll break.

"Chakra sensor, folks," the woman is saying. "All Earth shinobi got that same feel and you guys don't. Ya'll random. Of all people, you see me. You ain't very lucky, huh?"

Someone says "Put him down!" I can't see in the dark. Tunnel vision helps little. My body fights the arm trapping my throat instinctively. All that matters is that I breathe again.

Something heavy resonates through my body and eliminates all feeling.

Did I make Karada-sensei upset again? I'm going to have blunt force trauma before long...

Tied to a chair? A wooden one. The heavy, itchy rope pinches my spine against the painful grooves on the back of the chair. My hands are cold and barely want to open. They've been in fists for too long. Rope ties them to the chair. Similarly, my ankles and feet.

My head throbs. The room I'm in is dark. A candle burns on the table. The flame flickers and distorts with the breathing of a man sitting across from me. His silhouette is a black lighter than the room's darkness.

 _Pain_. I'm the captured one. I can feel a wooden floor under me so it's highly possible this isn't a collapsible cave.

"You ain't no Water or Sand. Too pale. Too clean," rasps the man. His breath is horribly stale. Morning breath. "I hope you're Cloud—I've always wanted to break those pretentious bastards."

Odds are not good. Damn.

I stay silent. Nothing is really going to help me. My chakra—they didn't seal my chakra; they must really think I'm no serious threat—can do little against this man. Or to even escape.

" _I'm_ the king here. I'll break you. I'll make you squeak until you're nothin but a husk. Here, I have all the time I need. Choose wisely, boy."

This _isn't_ reality. I could be in the cave— _explosion_. Damn Kakashi didn't have Minato's kunai all because of this stupid stealth mission! What the _hell_? I've done nothing at all!

"Aggressive, eh? The mad ones are the funniest ones to break. They lash out like they can _hurt me_. It's hilarious!"

He lunges for me. The candle falls over. Nothing but the whites of his eyes and the faint tickle of unwashed hair.

"Entertain me! Let's go! What are you afraid of? Let's start **th** _ **er**_ _e_!"

The world bursts into a thousand shards. My body is free. I fall back and land on my ass, barely propping myself up with numb hands. The earth is rocky and dried from the blazing sun. Red dust floats and expand in the air slowly. Unnatural.

"No..."

Kakashi is behind me. I see him peering down a large hole, one eye closed shut and dripping blood. I scramble to his side and find too many. Too much to count. Too many corpses, cleaned and ready to go for dissection. Relaxed faces that look like my parents, Rin, Naruto's parents, Obito, and other Leaf ninja I saw briefly.

The smell has a taste. I gag but don't vomit. I don't have a stomach in this world. Nor heart rate or chakra.

"Kakashi..." I don't know what to say.

"It can't be helped. This is how life ends. With death." Kakashi's one eye meets my eyes. Emptiness.

"We can stop this. Naruto did—"

Naruto's not born yet. Soon. Not now.

"It can't be helped."

He jumps.

I reach for him.

My hand passes through his blue shirt.

Kakashi is one of the many corpses ready for surgery. His eye containing the Sharingan is empty.

 **R** _ **e**_ _d._

The corpses drift in the red river. The sky reflects the water surface. For a split second I think the dead flies above me.

A sword sticks through my chest but I feel nothing. It makes for a terrifying reflection in the river and sky.

I know someone watches me. I turn.

My parents, too, join the dead. Father wastes away his red on Mother's chest.

Itachi stands as the sole survivor, impervious to everything and remains unreflected everywhere.

Behind him, the super moon is blood red. Its aura shines over Itachi, nearly godlike.

My brother's chakra is silver.

I start to ask Itachi why. Hot liquid bursts from my mouth. Ah. My lungs are filled with blood and I hadn't noticed. Then there's the issue of my spinal cord being severed into two, yet I suffer no paralysis.

Itachi's Mangekyou are shining.

"A little birdie told me about the eternal eyes," my brother says calmly. "If you had Sharingan, I could have kept you alive."

No you wouldn't.

 _Cough. Gurgle._

"Your pain is ephemeral. Mine will carry through the afterlife. Consider yourself judged by God. This will be your Paradise."

Itachi—

 _Gag—_

"You've gone past your expiration date." Itachi grabs the sword handle still buried in my chest. "Let me make this quick."

With no warning, Itachi moves up.

My brother splits into two, disconnected halves. Blurs into red and black and blacker.

Even blacker.

My head whips to the side. I hear things breaking in my mouth. Soon, I feel a tooth loose on my tongue. The hole where it lived is hot, sensitive, bloody.

"Death and murder? That all? You're boring."

A kunai is shoved through my hand, though with the rope limiting blood flow, it hardly hurts.

"You've barely lived. There are things out there to be afraid of. What's the point of fearing death when it's inevitable? You think you gonna live forever?"

He breaks my body, as if really matters. It does not hurt. The images, though, are different but the pain can't reach me.

I've seen worse in med school—

The room reverts to normal in a single blink. My body is unharmed.

The candle burns bright. Enough for me to see Rin and Obito seated in across from me, both tied up. Rin has tears streaming down her pink face, screams underneath the mask. Obito swears like a sailor.

I sense nothing from him? Can I even within an illusion?

"Let's have fun with these two. They're also ensnared by my illusion, so they'll get to watch you have front row seats to their torture."

No. **No**. It's okay if it's only me. I can _handle it_. I'm mentally 18! They're _thirteen_ —they don't deserve to go through this—

It doesn't matter. I can't break the illusion and so I think it tortures them more to see me unable to look away.

 **Release. Release. Release.**

Disrupt chakra flow? That's right, isn't it? It won't break? This isn't my chakra! Mine is chilly—this is too warm—what?

The status quo is renewed. Obito and Rin aren't harmed.

The cycle repeats.

Where's my chakra? I have to disrupt. Disrupt. **Release**.

" _Release_!"

My body is weighed down. I'm practically on Jupiter, with its gravity bajillion times stronger than Earth.

It smells horribly familiar.

Smoke, ash, burning.

I'm sweating hard. It stings my eyes. Makes the robes stick on my skin.

The ground shakes my body. It's hard to breathe; the _heat_.

"Takenaka! Look at me!"

An Earth shinobi slaps my cheeks. Behind him, I can see fire glowing underneath the door frame.

"Hey! _Wake up_!"

The final slap throws my head, jostles my brain. My nose is leaking something that's too thin to be blood and too colorless to be mucus.

"Stop," I bark. My feet are dangerously unstable. My chakra hardly listens to me.

"I thought you were a vegetable! I need you! Come on!"

I look at the shinobi closely. "Obito?"

Sure enough the teen has a scar just like him. But my Obito has two arms. Not an arm and a half. Certainly not an arm turning dark purple and leaking puss. That would imply more than 24 hours have gone by since I'd seen Team Minato. It's still night out.

But that's _his_ chakra.

"What the hell they do to you?" Obito groans. "We need to go."

"...wh-where?"

"Anywhere but here. Got to find Kakashi—"

The door bursts open. Out comes a ninja wearing a white, wooden mask like a horrible cosplay as a Pinocchio without his long nose. From nowhere, the ninja manifests a giant scythe with a razor tooth blade pattern.

" _Anbu_." Obito lets me go and blows fire, engulfing the ninja. Black bursts from the flames like sunflowers.

The scythe cuts a few more inches off the stump, still smoldering. The Anbu ninja's cloak is burned away, leaving a muscle shirt that exposes how jacked our enemy is.

He seizes my collar and picks me up.

"Medic."

His voice is distorted. I can't tell what the voice sounds like. It makes my brain shudder.

The smoking blade is poised next to my throat.

I touch the man's wrist.

I activate the Chakra Scissors Technique. Instead of cutting fabric, I aim for a major arm artery.

Bright red bursts from his new wound. He drops me as he rushes to close the wound. I cut open another artery in his leg, finish it off with severing a lumbar vertebrae. The ninja spasms in a pool of his own making.

Obito swears and grabs me. He bursts out the doorframe he had just burned up. Now he darts through the burning building, choking on the air as I do. I manage to control enough chakra for the Hypoxia Treatment technique. Obito looks grateful for the burst of oxygen finding its way to his lungs.

The desperate boy runs out into the night sky, trips, because the ground is rumbling. From the distance, a dark red light lingers.

The place I ended up in was a stolen home. It crumbles. It goes up in flames.

Obito drops to the ground, throwing me off and ruining my technique. He flops on his back and holds onto his stump. It's still a thing I have to fix.

It's infected. He'll **die**.

 _Keep calm_.

My heart rate is as low as it can get. Inhale. Exhale. I'm meditating while wide awake.

 _Remain focused_.

Amputation required. Antibiotics are necessary, but I don't have the required equipment. I could use the antibiotic technique, but I need the chakra for sterilization and Mystic Palm. I have a means of amputation: the kunai Obito gave me. A rock is nearby. I can break the bone with it. I pull out the kunai, enhance the blade's sharpness, sterilize. Don't have any pain medication or techniques to dull pain.

 _Know limitations._

"This will hurt," I tell him. "You'll probably pass out quickly. You may go into shock. I can probably fix that."

He laughs. "Nice try. You said... you wouldn't int-intentionally hurt me, Takenaka..."

"No time to waste," I reply, terse. "See you in a few hours. Maybe days. I dunno."

"Ta-Takenaka?"

First is the rock that snaps the ball and socket joint apart. I move the detached bone as far away as I can so that only muscle and nerves are cut. It's not pretty-looking; I do my best to avoid cutting arteries and some veins before I'm prepared. Nobody's taught me how to tourniquet a shoulder. I go ham on all the nerves, though.

Obito had screamed at one point, but now he's silent.

I need to treat him for shock. It could be from low blood pressure to pains greater than childbirth. Disease. Infection.

I need to close the wound. I remember Nonou did something weird... first I cut off skin and fatty tissue from his feet. The gooey yellow and red gump is placed on his "arm" where I stitch it together. Nonou used chakra strings. Hair-thin threads of blue glow connect the tissue. I bandage his feet and "arm" using shreds of my clothes and deal with treating his shock.

I don't have a VSS on me. I do a Blood Monitor to see that, yup, low blood pressure and foreign bacteria in his system. Plus a little chakra exhaustion. His sympathetic nervous system is going haywire.

I try and treat them to the best of my ability. My Mystic Palm works so slowly as I focus my shuddering chakra to _work_ and not _ignore me_.

At some time, I notice the sun's risen. _Pain_ , Obito looks like death. I read stories of medics so delirious they spent hours healing corpses.

"Takena— _Obito_!"

I know Kakashi is nearby. I keep my eyes shut. I need to do this.

"Is Obito...?"

—he's about ask me if he's okay even though he has two eyes.

"He needs help, Kakashi. Does he _look okay_? Do you want him to _die_?"

Kakashi flinches. "Sensei's almost here."

"Almost? The _Yellow Flash_ is always _late_! _Dammit_." I open my eyes and notice we're missing a person. "Where's Rin?"

I only look over because he takes too long to reply. Kakashi has **two** functioning eyes. Sure he's got still raw wounds and burn marks. He doesn't need Obito's Sharingan. At this rate, he'll never be Kakashi of the Sharingan.

His two eyes are wavering. Pulling inwards. Water rises in the white. His jaw quivers under the mask.

"I—Rin—I'm," he breaks off.

 _Nonono_. I hate how cold I've become. I force myself to breathe steady. It _should_ calm me down. It does not. My heart continues to beat wildly.

"Kakashi. It's okay. Later."

He's shaking his head. "My fault. _My fault_. Once again, someone risked their life. Not for any reward or fame. For _bonds_. Why—"

—is as far as his monologue-thing gets before I see yellow.

My brain takes its time slowing down the image I saw while, in reality, something grabs me. A blue flash breaks the reds and browns of Kakashi's uniform.

The world fizzles out of focus.

It feels like I've slammed into a brick wall face first. At the speed of sound. Every part of my is racing to catch up. Dragging behind. Green. Familiar. Voices—men, familiar more. My chakra, the most comforting thing in the world. The warm chakra being pulled away from me. My sore, exhausted body.

It all fades to nothing.

.: **SEVEN END** :.

* * *

What does that say when the shortest chapter I've written is only 8000 words?

 **Is it a bit Mary Sue-ish for Takenaka to join the mission? If Fugaku canonically took a 4 year old to war, I reasoned that assigning a medic-nin to a team in a time of war (where it is assumed medics are called to war whenever) wouldn't be too implausible? (Wasn't toddler!Kabuto healing soldiers with Nonou in his flashback?)**

 **If it is, then I suppose we should suspend our disbelief because either SEVEN could be a chapter of second-hand information about the mission or it could be a chapter in which the OC is proactive? But I didn't want him to be a Big Damn Hero. He's a total noob, not even Genin. There's** _ **no**_ _ **way**_ **5-year-old!Takenaka could save the day with some kind of genius strategy or convince Kakashi/Rin/Obito to do some convoluted maneuver to save the day with no casualties!**

 **The real world don't work that way.**

 **I dunno. I don't have anyone to bounce ideas off of. I just assumed this would be more interesting to read rather than more medical days.**

 **REVIEWS**

 **(there was so many this time; normally it's like 5, or something, a chapter; this was 10-plus)**

* That made me laugh so hard: _Konoha's Anatomy_! This isn't supposed to be a medical drama! _Konoha MD_. _Leaves_. _NER_ (ninja emergency room). I can do this all day...

* TBH fuuinjutsu (Sealing Techniques) _is_ pretty lit when you're a master (see Jiraiya or Minato or even Shikako Nara).

* Not gonna lie, totally an Uchiha slice-of-life. But it'll pick up in pace! I really like slice-of-life style shows, steady and gradual processes that expand over a long time.

* About Kakashi calling our dude dead last - gotta love how ninja be. Is he really dead last? Is that just Kakashi's prodigy childhood making him biased? I think Kakashi can be amazing at anything he tries, he just needs the right _push_. Maybe he just assumed his sensei's son and Itachiprodigy's brother would become strong regardless. _I dunno bout Sakura tho._

* [Regarding Takenaka's constant panic] Calm down? _Hahaha..._ he really does need to. He's going to hurt himself.

thank you all!

-14 Mar. 2018


	11. ZERO: EIGHT

**A Measure of Darkness**

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." Reincarnation!OC

— Robert Frost, _Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening_

* * *

 **EIGHT**

 _ **A Measure of Darkness**_

 _The Great Bridge — Recapitulation_

* * *

I allow myself only two days to play the sick boy stuck in the Leaf Hospital. There are more important things other than teetering on the edge of consciousness.

What happened?

My last memory is so... _accurate_. There's a subtle definition to it, whereas all my older memories are still right but a little fuzzy. It's like a snapshot in my mind by not some cruddy camera but a high-definition, professional camera.

Obito was/is on the verge of death. After treating his stump, I begun to heal the infection in his body. Then Kakashi appeared, dead tired, not looking too worse for wear.

"I—Rin—I'm..."

(I hope that doesn't mean she's dead. Please, gods, Pain, tell me she's _not dead_. Don't let her body float in the debris of Madara's territory. Don't let Obito turn evil because of her death.)

Then something grabbed us. Now I can recall an ivory hand grabbing the front of Kakashi's shirt. The boy wasn't nearly as dazed as I felt. Everything blurred together and snapped back and it was too much for my head. I definitely passed out.

Great. This summary didn't help at all.

But I wouldn't need a summary if I wasn't so stupid. I couldn't have been at their side, watching the battle. No. I go out of commission because of a stupid illusion I couldn't break. Piece of shit thinks he actually knows what I'm afraid of. He's _wrong_. It pisses me off to think a guy like him is the reason Obito had to save me and lose an arm.

I need to practice genjutsu. Learn something to defend myself with. Then I'll study up on Weapon Techniques and—I'll just see what happens in the future.

Unlike others, the extent of my injuries are more mental than physical. So I get pain medication and a scan under Mystic Palm and that's it. I'm told I'll be able to leave today, the morning of my third day. My nurses are not the ones I had before, but very quiet and demure women who slip in, ask no questions, and get out.

Once again I am in a solitary room, no bigger than a closet.

I've learned the hospital's layout. The map commoners see is just the barebones. Layers upon layers exist because of chakra in this world, there's about a thousand more ways to die.

(Some Bloodline Limits and Bloodline Selections are _absolutely insane_. The elemental types are okay, but then there's the mutant humans with the ability to control their bone growth, spit legit acid, gain energy by eating themselves—the list goes on and on and _I_ had to learn how to treat injuries like those.)

I know I'm in one of the classified rooms. IE, whatever happens in the room _doesn't exist_. This stay won't be on my hospital record, but my private hospital record. Wait.

That stint at Kanegasaki.

Was that visit on my private record, too? Kanka said she made me stay all for her stupid tests, but maybe that wasn't the full story? Only 14 days elapsed into my stay when I moved rooms and visitors were allowed.

—the door cracks open without a knock or forewarning. For a moment, I expect it's someone coming to kill me. I'm staying on a floor with shinobi and their wounds from missions that they were "never on" to begin with.

No, it's a well put-together man. Has a sort of roguish charm, like that of cocky thieves and womanizers. His smile is very languid. Have I seen him before? It's on the tip of my memory. Pale blond hair, blue eyes, weary face. The man wears the typical Leaf uniform with a small notepad in tow.

"Good morning. I was hoping you'd be in the mood for questioning," says the man with probably the best voice ever. It must have been practiced. Maybe he's a singer. There's no way a man just wakes up with a handsome voice. "If not, then surely you've got questions? I'd be obliged to answer them."

Finally something interesting.

A ninja wants to use me. Everything about him screams _mind games_. If I don't want to be swept off my feet and taken for a fool, I need to win this. At least make this battle a draw.

I make sure I use my best posture as I greet him. The man rests on the side of my bed, one leg bent and one leg resting on the side like some kind of talk show host.

"It's a little early to be here, no?" I point to the clock. "It's not even sunrise yet."

"Oh, trust me, I am aware. My sleep schedule is a mere shadow of what it used to be," replies the man.

This guy is good. Not Karada good. But still unnerving.

"By questioning, you mean about my injuries or the mission?"

"Well, I had hoped we begin with the mission. However, we will cover both topics in due time."

 _I am_ not _charismatic enough to do this_. Karada could lie so easily it seemed like truth. I've always thought too much.

"I can't offer you much about the mission seeing as I wasn't really in it much." I hunch up my shoulders helplessly and force myself to look at the eyes that do not reflect his smile. "We _are_ talking about the same mission, right? The one with bridge and stealth."

"Yes." He chuckles. "Let's begin in reverse chronological order. What is the last thing you remember?"

"Green." Upon his silent reaction, "Not like grass, but of the tent flaps. I know that green when I see it. Do you know why I would've been in there?"

The man tilts his head to side. Too innocently. Oh no.

"How do you know what a Leaf tent looks like? As your words seem to imply you've observed one before."

 _I can do this. He's probably smug about winning. Well, I've been around smug people all my life. This is my domain._

"My father _loves_ complaining about them, you know. Helps him like a stress relief. But he told me only authorized personnel can enter, not some no-name shinobi. Definitely not me, a medic-in-training. So the one who brought me there must be high up in the chain of command, right?"

 _Boom_.

The man's face turns back into an unreadable mask. "Yes, the ninja is a very important person."

"Ah, okay. Then it was the Yellow Flash."

He turns away, looking at the room, the lack of life.

"What can you recall beyond the tent?" is his question instead asking me about Minato, where I _wanted_ to go.

"Doing my job. As a medic, I was required to heal my injured teammates and that I did."

"Can you describe the injury?"

 _What's the point of this?_

"Severed arm, infected. Required immediate amputation, limb couldn't be saved. Highly possible that even if the other half the limb was retrieved, it would be unsuitable for reattachment. Next were signs of shock, low blood pressure, and low-grade sepsis. Several non-fatal wounds and burns. Need I go on?"

"That's more than enough. Thank you."

"What did that achieve? Were you wondering if I healed him unnecessarily?"

I had heard stories of vicious medics who would heal the comrades in the wrong way, thus killing them.

"It never hurts to have too many perspectives," replies he with a dismissive wave. "And further?"

"I... was kidnapped and tortured via genjutsu too strong for me to break. My teammate rescued me, almost dying and everything, then I healed him, et cetera."

The man deliberately nods. Looks away "thoughtfully". I know what he wants to say and he says it. "I apologize. That must have been very tense. How are you coping?"

Almost. I expected him to ask what I'd seen. Eh.

"Fine," I say.

"You aren't trying to seem strong just for me, eh?" The man smirks and I swear I see a twinkle in his eye. "I am a part-time psychologist, one of the village's best, mind you. By your 'fine', it is plainly obvious that you prefer to bury your emotions. Denial is a very immature, unhealthy response to trauma. We can overcome this. The next you grieve, you won't have to suffer through the pain of denial. You'll be able to grieve healthily and maturely—"

This man... probably does not have any children. He must've been some kind of only child. His children skills are _terrible_.

"Like I said," I interrupt, "I am fine."

"All right. All right. But admitting there is a problem is the first step to—"

"Any other questions? I know where the secret seal is."

Said seal is in every room, hidden so that a patient may signal for help without alerting the dangerous threat in the room. It's such a thing one must worry about in a world of killers.

The man actually blanches; has the seal been used before on him?

"That's not necessary! Let's move on. I have other questions!"

"Shoot."

"Is there anything the man showed you in the genjutsu?" He speaks slowly, as if to give me time to think if I should respond. I already know what to say.

"Nothing other than my fears."

"Ah. Children your age have very scary fears. It's difficult to see the difference between reality and fiction—"

"None of that stuff," I say. "It's cliche. Just my loved ones dying, nothing more. It's on my mind because of the war, after all."

"...ah, yes. I see."

Much to my relief, the man gathers his notepad and stands.

"It was very nice meeting you. You were very compliant with the questioning. You'd be surprised how rare that happens," he adds with a laugh. "Any further questions?"

"Two. First, who are you?"

The man bows dramatically, curling up elegantly and grinning as if he's in a tooth commercial. "I'm just a common man. Just a hero in blonde. I am the _I_ in _out of my mind_. Inoichi Yamanaka!"

What's with this flamboyant display? Reminds me of Obito in the Chuunin Exams.

"... _to_ -ry this on for size!"

"Well okay then," I say, not really sure how I should respond.

Inoichi's smile falls. "That's it?"

"I've never heard you before. Sorry?"

The man's depression rolls off him in cold, ferocious waves. I lean away, but can't escape the dark energy.

"I see," Inoichi mumbles. "The price I pay for being in the background."

"Anyway," I stress, "I have a second question. Remember when you asked me about the genjutsu? Well, I saw more..."

The man raises one brow and looks as if he hit the jackpot.

The words just fall out my mouth before I can think.

"The _jinchuuriki_ —the power of human sacrifice, the man said it was an Uzumaki woman. That they would be going after the Nine Tails to extract and use against the village. That the Earth would use my father's Sharingan to control the beast and have it slaughter everyone. And that the woman wasn't Mito Uzumaki. They told me that if the jinchuuriki were to go into labor, the seal would weaken and they would take advantage and take the Tailed Beast.

"So... isn't the jinchuuriki Kushina Uzumaki?" I finish, trying to gaze at Inoichi with the most innocent, clueless face I can make. "Will she be safe? She's about the age of having children. If that beast escapes, my clan will be the most persecuted."

It's not easy acting.

What do you do when a person you know who could hide every single emotion broke his mask?

Because Inoichi's smile slowly fell as I spoke. Just as his depression hit me in waves, so does a minor wave of Killing Intent.

An invisible presence is squeezing my chest and making it cold. If I keep my eyes still, I can see the glint of the fluorescent light hitting the sword blade jutting from my chest.

"Adults should only speak of this," Inoichi monotones. "You should stay in the place of a child and not worry."

"Don't tell me not to. This is _my family_ and _village_ at stake. I don't want any mistakes or a lovesick jinchuuriki murdering hundreds of innocents and giving away our biggest source of power so close to war. I've got _every right_ to know."

But I can't really go about saying rights I took for granted as an American here. I don't know much about laws here yet, but I do know that the Leaf is very particular on how much information civilians get know.

"Why are you in such a rush to grow up...?" Inoichi then shakes his head, blinking, as if not meaning to speak out loud. "You're merely five. I'm in my 20s. I've four times the experience compared to you. So do not worry; the adults will handle this. You can contribute to our aid by keeping your mouth closed and _never utter a word of what the man told you_. Else I'll be forced to use a special technique to make you forget."

Finally, I don't dare speak back.

Yes, I would love to forget Rin and Obito being tortured.

But if Inoichi sees memories of the entire show in my head... I don't know.

"Good day, Takenaka," Inoichi says brightly, waving, the tension still heavy in the air like humidity. "Do get rest. It's almost a new year, hmm?"

.:

I'm cleared to leave. I asked about seeing Kakashi and Obito, and once the nurse was positive they were my teammates, I get to see Kakashi. Unlike Obito, Kakashi was in a generally okay state. As I'm guided to his room, I search for Obito's chakra and it's _not_ in the hospital.

 _I didn't kill him,_ _ **did I**_?

Don't worry. Do not worry. You'll freak yourself out. It is okay.

(What if he committed suicide because of Rin? What if she's dead? What if I did nothing nothing nothing and Tobi exists?)

The nurse practically throws me into Kakashi's room, where he is reading a thick book in bed. He looks a tiny bit thin in his hospital gown and bandages. Can't imagine how I must look like. The boy has not been sleeping. He doesn't even wear his usual mask, opting for a simple surgical mask.

"Hey," I say, standing at his side and trying to peek at his book while quietly wiping my sweaty hands on his blanket. "How's recovery going?"

"I really hate hospitals," he sighs and pulls away the book. "I can't help but think of how much time I waste sitting and thinking."

"It's more fun when you're not in the classified ward. In the common ward, the real world acknowledges your existence."

"I haven't been in the common ward in years..."

That elicits a laugh from me.

"Um... Kakashi?"

"Mm?"

"I've been questioned about the mission... and I was... just thinking about the full story, you know," I say, hoping he'll read between the lines.

"Ah..."

Kakashi grips the book tight.

"What happened to you? I never knew."

I hunch up my shoulders. "Ah, a man tried to get me to spill Leaf secrets. Didn't really work, though."

Kakashi's eyes carefully watch my appearance. They narrows slightly. Am I that bad at lying? Does he know me too well?

"As for what happened to me... we all agreed we had to get you back and complete the mission. Obito volunteered. Rin and I went to the bridge. The plan was to blow it up as a distraction. Obito went with Pakkun to search for you, using the rose quartz as a guide. I left with Rin for the bridge undetected. We managed our part easily, but we severely underestimated Earth forces. They surrounded us before we could realize. Rin—"

Kakashi has a thousand yard stare. His fists are trembling as he forces the words out his mouth.

"She took a hit for me. I should have been more proactive. We should have been using collaboration techniques, not fighting solo. I was careless and so she saved me."

"Kakashi?"

I shake his shoulder but no dice.

"I managed to get Minato-sensei to help us. Some medics carried Rin away. Then I searched for Obito and you, to make sure you were okay—Obito looked so normal. In a couple hours, he lost his arm and you weren't yourself. Everything went wrong so fast..."

" _Kakashi_." Now he looks at me. I'm not entirely sure he sees me, though. "' _You weren't yourself_ '—what are you talking about? I was healing Obito. That's my job. I wanted to save him!"

"No, no you were _not_ yourself. I didn't see polite, hardworking Takenaka. I saw an angry and cruel boy. I knew they hurt you. It was just as Obito _said_."

Is he going crazy? He's making no sense.

"There's no way Obito is up and talking after what he went through three days ago," I say, trying to keep my voice level, rippling my knuckles at a tempo of 80. "I think you need rest."

"Obito told me that years ago. I still remember, Takenaka."

He looks so needy. The world is just seconds away from being pulled under his feet.

"Okay, Kakashi. What was it?"

"It's activated by extreme emotional trauma or stress." Kakashi breathes in quickly. "The Sharingan."

—what?

He's not—He can't be implying— _I_ unlocked the Sharingan?

That can't be.

The nurse interrupts us, calls me a "toxic influence", and bans me from his room. I leave the hospital at sunset, the deepest part where nothing remains of the sun except deep oranges and long shadows. When I arrive home, sense Itachi's chakra, I know I can't meet my family like this. So I jump onto the rooftop and sneak into my room through the secret passageway.

My room's still so messy. My bed is cold yet immaculate. I fall into it. Cover my eyes.

The _Sharingan_ is mine.

How am I supposed to unlock the eyes? I feel just like Sasuke. Am I just forced to go through another trauma and then remember how my eyes are opened? I can't wait that long. Itachi mastered his eyes at eight. I can't keep wasting time like this.

 _Open sesame._

 _Abracadabra._

 _Bippity boppity boo._

Nothing. My chakra is still recovering from being sealed over the few days, as well as the strain I put it through during the mission.

I figure I need an expert's opinion. So I make sure I am presentable and walk downstairs. Itachi is already asleep in his new room. My mom is still awake, cleaning up the home. I make noise as I meet her in the kitchen, to prevent from scaring her.

Mother takes a breath as soon as she spots me. "Oh, Takenaka! You're home! I'm glad to see you're okay."

"I won't leave you behind, Mother." I start helping her clean the counters and sweep the floor. The methodical nature of it all lets me stop thinking and do. It idles my hands and frees my mind.

"I have something to ask you, though."

"I'll answer it to the best of my ability," Mother responds.

"It's really serious. I've already unlocked it, but can't unlock it again, the Sharingan."

I hear Mother's sudden stillness. Soon she's spinning me around to face her, saying, "You... unlocked the Sharingan?"

"Yeah."

A heavy, trembling breath falls from her mouth. A subtle red dyes her face. "Oh, darling. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay... it makes me stronger."

"But so young, though? That is not the power a young boy needs."

"Mother, trust me. I don't act like a child. I don't want to be a child. I am a ninja of the Leaf and of the Uchiha Clan. I am a heir. I _must_ do this."

Somehow it's second nature to refer to myself as an heir when my real origins were anything but.

"You'll eventually figure it out despite my protests, won't you..." Mother pulls back her long hair and fans her face. "The pathway is already established. All you need to do is recreate it. Send chakra through the pathway leading to your eyes."

"Huh..."

My chakra yields to my pull at last. I push the energy through my chakra system. It pools in my brain, makes me light-headed. I spent months learning the chakra system. There are no major branches connecting to the eyes. Yet I feel something... large? expansive? linking my brain and eyes.

It hurts to push the chakra through. The hurt is like a rash I can't scratch. It gets worse and more intense and I can't scratch, can't relieve the pain.

Before long my chakra has a mind of its own. It rushes to the gap, I guess, and threatens to tear down whatever blocking it. That only makes my eyes hurt _more_.

"You can't fight it," Mother says. "You'll cause irreversible damage. My kind, little brother tried to stop the Sharingan and ended up blind. You have to let the pain overwhelm you. But I am here, Takenaka."

I hold onto her hands tighter.

It's difficult to not control my energy. The pressure gathers behind my eyes. The wall breaks. The pain reaches a climax before settling down to an annoying burn-like sensation. I can sense a thick branch linking my eyes to my chakra network. More energy than I am used to filters through my eyes.

The world is _defined_. Everything has such a clear contour line. Microprint is no match for me. The individual strands of my mother's hair—some crooked, some adjacent strands are different sizes, the imperfections skin is prone to.

And all of it feeds into my subconscious just as vivid as I had seen.

"That is the Sharingan." Mother looks like she wants to say more. She settles for a tight hand squeeze. "Turning it off is as simple as severing the connection."

"Um, thanks for..."

"Don't thank me. Now... you need to get to bed, little man. Tomorrow I am assuming you want to go back to medical school?"

"Oh. Right."

( _I can already hear the work I've missed._ )

Back in my room again, I can't get over how well I can see with such little light. I'm like a cat. Ahem. I'm like a lion.

I look in the mirror. Red eyes are unnatural on my face. My huge, young eyes just seem to magnify how unnerving the Eye Technique is. Two _tomoe_ are opened in total, with a matured Sharingan having six _tomoe_.

I've done it. The eyes are mine. If I could master the eyes, I'm one step closer to becoming a formidable ninja.

How could I sleep when I have the Sharingan just _waiting_ to be mastered?

First's thing first, get acquainted with these babies.

I practice tossing a paper ball. And find tossing a paper ball has become the hardest thing imaginable.

My eyes are feeding my brain a hyper-focused image of ball passing through space. My body is used to 18 plus five years of my plain eyes and moves normally. It's hard to explain. What my eyes see is a slow breakdown while my body moves in present time, creating this disorienting gap.

Paradoxically, the faster I go, the slower I should perceive the world. I remember watching a kids show dealing with just that. I'm sure it had a cat and a fish screwing with a countdown? Anyways, my eyes are viewing the world slowly yet to an outside observer, my eyes should be accelerating quickly.

In contrast, my body moves normally because it moves normally and not on some enhanced plane. The _slower_ I move, the _faster_ the world is perceived.

Let's say I'm driving a real nice sports car. Cruising at the speed of sound. I look out the windows and see that some really large building moves so slowly past me. I can look at cars around me and watch them drive past in slow motion.

Me in a sports car passes by me standing in an intersection surrounded by cars. They all move so fast. I can't track one fast enough.

Well, the scenario works on an exaggerated scale. It's not something overtly visible at normal human speeds.

The first hurdle to my Sharingan mastery is mastering my reaction speed.

The next cool thing about the eyes is that I can see an extremely vague overview of the chakra system. That's already plenty helpful seeing as I've memorized the system's layout and I'll have no problem corresponding ambiguous blur number 44 to a chakra system branch. I just need to make this intuitive. This is the second hurdle.

The third hurdle is the advanced perception. All this sensory information is starting to become a little too much. The only way I can see this not being an issue is by using the eyes more and forcing the body to interact with this crazy world.

I'm dead sure it's through this hurdle that will grant me predictive powers. I _so_ want that. I can't wait to start training that. But I have to start small.

The best hurdle deals with eye's signature ability to **copy**. This will be my lifeline in medic school. I won't have to spend hours memorizing terms. Just a simple glance! I could mimic advanced surgery techniques (and probably use them once my muscles match what's required). I could copy any technique. I don't really know what technique I want to copy. There's so many.

Then there's the genjutsu aspect of the Sharingan.

I don't have to practice genjutsu techniques so that Kanabi isn't repeated. Yet, though, it's such an easy hack. Genjutsu are kinda cool when not torturing toddlers. I'll look into it.

I have to make my to-do list all over. _Med school, Sharingan practice, ninja practice_. And with all the freed up time I now have, I'm making sure the eyes are going to mature.

.:

To my surprise, it took me only four months of work to unlock four of six _tomoe_. My visual prowess only increased by maybe 1.5 and it's enough to throw me off. All new challenges. The third and final stage will be annoying.

The first hurdle, my reaction speed, is practiced via a ping pong match. I get a paper ball and a makeshift paddle and use the wall as player two. Starting out, it wasn't pretty.

My eyes took their time watching the ball complete its arch while my body felt heavy waiting an uncomfortably long period of time before moving. In real time, 800 milliseconds passed. It felt like five seconds—which feels like such a long time just timing myself sitting still.

And to keep challenging myself, I added more paper balls until about eight. They all moved so slowly I was able to decipher the ones closest to hitting the ground but my body was normally too awkward for me to hit it.

The trick, which took me so long to learn, was to speed up my body so that it _too_ no longer moved at its regular speed. Then my eyes saw slow moving paper and limbs and I reached this _sync_ that made life so much easier.

With both parts moving at roughly the same perception, my consciousness altered. No longer was I disoriented. My consciousness would have perceived 800 milliseconds of time without the slow motion. My memory would recall the 800 milliseconds drawn out to 2 plus seconds. My body would be a little sore with how fast I moved it.

It's... weird. No wonder the Hyuuga Clan is the Leaf's strongest clan. Not everyone can master something this complicated.

The second hurdle, by far, is way easier. I just have to remember the chakra system in comparison to the chakra blurs I see. The blurs aren't constantly visible. I have to emit the intent to see chakra and it sort of happens, a bluish haze of light beneath the surface. There are some densely packed blurs that are red flags for major chakra system branches. The core of the body is much like the brain within the chakra system. The Sharingan can pick up on the clockwise and counterclockwise direction of chakra rotation as well. (Handy tidbit for Rasengan training.)

Getting used to the new world before my eyes makes up the third hurdle, the most boring. Just have to keep the eyes on and do normal things until it feels comfortable.

The copy ability is a bit of a struggle as it depends so much on muscles. But remembering homework and vocabulary and junk is easy. Too bad it doesn't extend to learning rules, like the correct medical scrub in technique. I have to put brain power into learning those. Basically, if my eyes don't see a body doing the thing I want to copy, it does not copy and only goes into my memory bank.

The last issue is genjutsu. My only test subjects are animals. They don't have the same brains as we humans, though.

I went to the bookstore and bought _The Legend of Saizou Kirigakure_ , one of the best pulp fiction novels in learning genjutsu.

Genjutsu, the art of illusions, hallucinations, and deceptions, all begins with pushing chakra out the body and into the target's body. It's the least used technique in battle because of its super unsubtle nature. The only hope is to distract the enemy long enough to pull off the technique or place the illusion onto the target while they're not conscious enough to do anything about it.

 _Saizou proclaimed to the army of ten thousand, "I can make a genjutsu for any man, any woman, any god! It will become their own personal hell!"_

The best illusions are the ones that play off of what the person expects. But in battle, a ninja doesn't have the time to psychoanalyze and act. So he or she goes for genjutsu too difficult to cancel and hope for the best.

Before I get into different illusions, I have to figure out a way to even pull them off. Everyone knows to fear our eyes. Nobody willingly makes eye contact when my eyes are red.

Hold on.

 _Itachi_ casted a Sharingan genjutsu without eye contact, didn't he? _How_?

There's something I'm misunderstanding about these eyes.

The first difference about these eyes is the diminished peripheral field. The macula is able to focus on a much larger portion of the world—a pea versus a nickle or quarter. Does Itachi use his advanced range of focus for a genjutsu? But whenever I do Sharingan genjutsu—calling this Sharingen—I need direct eye contact. From the chakra branch powering my eyes, it's all too easy to follow the flow of energy and release it wherever my eye focuses on. The alternative implies Itachi uses all of his visual field in transmitting a genjutsu.

( _What even?_ )

I decide to sketch out my backyard I seldom use in training. (I don't want anyone finding out about my eyes.) I draw, over that, a large coordinate grid. I shade out a good 40 percent of the grid that makes up my peripheral, which then leads to 60 percent of the graph making up my range of genjutsu. All of the intersections are points of direct eye contact.

Let's break this down.

Apparently my genius brother uses these intersections as Sharingen transmission points (the act of throwing chakra to the person and giving them illusions). He doesn't need to directly look at the target for these to go through.

Direct eye contact requires two people, so... Itachi is on the x-axis and his target is on the y-axis. Since the target has to have some kind of direct eye contact within the field regardless of where they are, then I can see Itachi using his increased sight range to transmit the Sharingen along the grid to meet the intersection point.

In short, Itachi is making direct eye contact without actually making direct eye contact.

...nope. As soon as I phrased it like that, I just get more confused.

But in practice, it actually works. I can't really explain it further. It's more of an intuitive thing. The squirrel was looking directly at me, I was looking at the tree above it, it was in my field of keenest sight, and so I sent my chakra out along the field to the intersection point. At this time, it was my 80th trial. Chakra travels faster than sound but slower than light, and so there was a brief delay I had learned to account for. A lot of the Sharingan depends on predictions. I had predicted the squirrel would look at me as soon as I snapped the branch. It moved its body so slowly I could set up the Sharingen. It hit the squirrel successfully. After 10 more tries, I did it again.

These eyes are such a hack. My normal eyes can't transmit genjutsu or create a field. I'd have to do genjutsu like a normal person. Why does that sound so weird?

Ultimately, I have to retrain my eyes with two more _tomoe_ because of the more advanced sight I have. Since I already have an idea of what I'm doing, training goes by without as much frustration.

Seven months post awakening my eyes, they were fully matured Sharingan. By the time I graduated my second year of medical school in March, I'd begun my first few weeks of training the matured Sharingan, equipped with double the perception I had before, clearer chakra blurs, and _prediction_.

Also in March, I am officially six years old. With a little urging, I am allowed to attend the Ninja Academy.

.:

The compulsory age of schooling is seven. If a child is five or six, they can enter the school as a sort of pre-kindergarten under the Legendary Child Program. Tuition costs way more under the program and the children selected are the best of the best.

I had already finished the Core Curriculum of the Academy when I was four at the most. I've already been through 13 years of school. The only real problem was the advanced math equations (polynomials, differentials, radicals—anything plural in math gives me hives), but besides that, easy. I have the academic and physical aspects covered, but there are more things the Academy teaches that I couldn't learn in a desk.

In January, I attend the January Ninja Academy Legendary Child Examination. It... could have a better name. Kind of disappointed Minato Namikaze didn't name it, but whatever. Being this close to my future, I notice that the Academy of now is pristine. Well... the school I know is made up of so many cracks and blemishes—this was really obvious in the manga. It made the Ninja Academy feel very old. But I see it now, all five buildings and training grounds dozens times taller than me, and it's not perfect but it looks clean. The pipes that wrap around many of the Ninja Academy's wall and roofs aren't the ancient, rainwashed things I'm used to seeing during Naruto's time.

(Team Minato probably stood where I stand once. Happy. Innocent. The world didn't scare them.)

A cold gust of wind practically rips through my thick clothes and I get a move on.

I head to the Legendary Academic Building off the side of the main building by following the signs. Right now the kids are out for the winter break because the Leaf prefers to celebrate a second, lunar new year beginning in February and not the calendar new year. Before me are toddlers my age that I tower a head over. Humming and stepping in line, I use my physical energy to keep warm as the line shortens.

Many children are silent, perhaps worried they'll fail the examination. For me, there's no possibility of failing. There are two options: win just barely or **win**.

Finally I make it inside the building to warmth. The remaining kids and I are directed to a room, me receiving room A-D, whatever that means.

I sit at the back so that none may copy off me. No one really knows who I am other than my emblem, but as a clan kid, I'm more likely to be prepared. The children near me, though, are clan children. Stunning blondes of Yamanaka, the messy manes of Inuzuka, the long and silky velvets of Hyuuga and more. Their emblems are kind of redundant. This includes me.

Our procter enters the room with a thick, fur hood that makes an Inuzuka bristle. His head is bald and shiny. He dusts dead leaves off his clothes and sighs.

"Greetings, Legendary Children applicants," he says, voice surprisingly friendly despite his eyes shaped in eerie, narrow slits. "I am Enkou, your exam administrator. We will begin with a written exam and migrate to a practical exam. By 5PM today, the top 30 percent of children will be accepted. Remember, even if you do not make it, you are still very good shinobi. Spots are limited, so do your best. Stay calm."

The room's atmosphere is between two extremes: nervousness and pure arrogance. Wonder where I'd be. I don't feel anything right now.

 _I made it midway of the year four Core Curriculum_ , I think as Enkou places my test down. _I was in college. Well... I wasn't very serious, though._

But a glance at the first page tells it all. It goes from easy to hard, year one to presumably year five.

I feel nerves itching my heart.

"The tests are scored in percentiles, so how many you miss is irrelevant. Only those who out perform their competitors move forward. Any questions?"

I think there's an air of competition. I bite at my pencil's eraser.

"It is now 8:43. You may begin. We will stop at noon for lunch break."

And the room echoes with the sound of scraping pencils.

I breeze through the test in seconds, only meeting difficulties with year three and four math. But skipping those problems and rushing through history, I look up to see it's 10.

I pop my knuckles and resume.

With only math problems left, I spend long, long times solving these problems. I have no idea if the other problems were just really easy or—more likely—I've done everything completely wrong, like I always.

"Pencils stop. Excellent job, children. You deserve a break."

Everything relaxes when we're all in the cafeteria munching on light but warm food. Some clans like Hyuuga and Aburame migrate to themselves. Others like Yamanaka and Nara spread out and socialize.

I sit down at a table with really chatty Yamanaka and civilians. I'm used to the uber smart med school kids, so this'll be a fun learning experience.

"Woah, an _Uchiha_?" a girl Yamanaka gasps, placing her hand over her mouth. Her blonde pigtails are in perfect condition, just like her expensive jacket and eye shadow highlighting baby blues. "You wanna sit with other people? Must be sick!"

I beam despite her rudeness. "That's right. You've got very pretty nails. I really like that color."

She glances at her nails and to me. "Well... thanks! It's turquoise."

"Why do you got that mask on," asks a Nara boy as indicated on his shoulder emblem, whose hair is crumbled under his beanie. "Eye issues?"

"Nope! It's a secret!" And the comments begin.

"Secret? What for?"

"You're a weird one!"

I change the topic with, "My procter Enkou-sensei was really bald! His head was super duper shiny, too!"

"I had him, too!" shouts a girl I can't see from my position. "Looked kinda scary!"

"My procter was a woman," says another boy from no clan, having shaggy brown hair in a ponytail and tanned skin. "I like her."

"You should marry her," I smile and the table teases him for me.

Eventually I become the center of conversation only after a power struggle with the turquoise Yamanaka— _Kaori_ Yamanaka. In the middle of my story about my mother finding my Body Replacement logs, lunch is over and we're to head to the inside gym for the practical exams.

Along the way, Kaori pokes my back, saying, "How good you think you're gonna do?"

I hum. "Probably better than the written. The math was killer..."

"That test was easy," Kaori scoffs, fiddling with a blonde stray curl. "But... I'm not so good at being sweaty, yanno?"

"But you smell so earthy. Do you plant flowers?"

"Yes, but, well, not that kind of sweaty!" And I think she's embarrassed.

"Gardening is a sport," I tell her. "Just like playing ninja."

A boy in front me turns around and I know it's an Inuzuka from his smell and small fangs to his vicious grin. "Aw, yeah! I'm, like, the best ever, dude!"

"Never tried it out," I shrug. "Parents kept me sheltered."

He winces, small eyes growing smaller. "Dude, you're missing out."

"What's ninja like? We could do it when we all make it in."

The Inuzuka—Ken Inuzuka—goes on and on about ninja. I listen and respond to keep him talking. Eventually Kaori forgets her anger and also quips in a few times about a girl playing, too. Our conversation stops when the next procter shouts:

" _Hush up_ , shrimps! It's time to move them bodies!"

I know that voice.

It's Asuka, barely even changed since I saw her last.

"Asuka-sensei!" I call, waving.

The woman winces and looks wide-eyed at me. "Oh kage, you're a ninja now! Where did the time _go_?"

Kaori is nudging me, saying, "You know that woman?"

I nod. "She's actually pretty nice!"

"You crazy?" Ken says. "My brother called her every evil _youkai_ in the book."

"We're startin' As to Zs, got it?" Asuka shouts above us. "Pass this obstacle course. Chakra's allowed. If you can pass this course, show me how 'mazing you are, and not cheat the system like a smart alec, you'll move up the percentiles. For this baby, it's weighted slightly more."

Kaori whimpers. I ruffle her hair and she sulks.

Asuka sticks two fingers in her mouth and whistles as loud as a cat's meow. One of those really annoying Siamese ones. "Aburame, Hakuya, you're _up_!"

I take a moment to appreciate I was born in a clan starting with U. And Kaori looks pretty chill that it's going to take a while for her turn, as she starts chatting all over again.

Ah, it was fun testing my social skills on kids my age, but now I need to focus.

Hakuya has no chance of watching and learning from others. Every movement he makes is in the heat of the moment and with the fear _Can someone do this better than I? These strangers?_ and I like to think Asuka's critical gaze may cut him some slack.

But I guess Hakuya is used to being the first in everything. By the way he smoothly passes the obstacles effortlessly, Hakuya looks way smarter than he may actually be. Despite his heavy-looking trench coat that I think should be slowing him down. Maybe his buzz cut gives him some kind of aerodynamic advantage.

Throughout the entire course, he failed to use chakra.

"Excellent job!" Asuka pens down a time. I estimate five to six minutes. "Next up, Akimichi, Waga!"

Waga passes the course much less gracefully than Hakuya. I really do feel she's the bookish type.

"Oi, Uchiha, c'mere."

I look away to see a group of black haired, black eyed pillars of frost.

I've never been this close to any real Uchiha outside of birthdays and meetings. I really am too sheltered. No wonder my mom forced me to leave by myself.

I lower my smile to a demure curve and join my Uchiha clansmen. "Hello. Nice to see you all."

They fail to look at me like their heir. I don't think... they even know _what_ their heir looks like. Knowing that, I try not to look too classy.

"You're weird," huffs a short Uchiha boy. "You a half-breed."

"Super pure, I promise." I stick out a pinky finger no one takes. "Any reason why you need me?"

"We're ranking each other against the best Hyuuga here," responds a boy with his arms crossed. I can see his muscular physique. "Mune, is his name."

I follow his jerked chin. Standing high and proud, Mune hides his seal of servitude behind a thick fringe. His loose and flowing clothes are off white and makes his turned off Byakugan that much brighter. His eyes are locked on Waga. I feel bad for her.

The rest of Hyuuga almost seem to hide behind him, with degrees of grace and confidence.

"He looks like tough stuff," I agree.

"Yeah. _I'm_ our best bet so far." I give him a questioning look. "What, you never heard of me? You're definitely sheltered, huh? Nitsuke."

And before he can ask my name, I interrupt him. "Not _that_. I wanted to know why you're the best and how you're gonna best Mune."

Nitsuke allows a cocky smirk to form. "I'm the best Uchiha at ninja. My dad taught me all I needed to know about Uchiha taijutsu. Nobody's beaten me."

Vague, so I encourage him. "How many people have you fought?"

Another boy answers, "Way over a hundred."

"Nitsuke's our best shot."

"Then I depend on you Nitsuke," I say and nod. "Oh... what about the heir?"

Nitsuke scoffs. "Fugaku-sama's heir? Nobody's heard anything about him."

"He's supposed to be six, though. Don't think he's applying to Academy early. Wants to really spend his time being better than us," the shortest boy grumbles, blowing a fly away strand.

"Eh? Takenaka does?"

The boys flinch at my outburst, with Nitsuke leaping on me the fastest. " _Takenaka-sama_. Are you _trying_ to commit treason?"

"Treason?" I thought it was formality?

"You really don't have much hope of beating the Hyuuga, don'cha?" And Nitsuke sighs. "Forget I talked to you."

And, as Uchiha are good at it, they coldly isolate and ignore me.

My family... thinks both nothing and highly of me. I let out a shaky laugh. They're definitely not going to like what happens today.

"Alright, next are the Ds! Let's get a move on!" Asuka shouts and whistles again.

I hear boys murmur: "I would mind _her_ being my taijutsu teacher..."

 _Agh, the cringe..._

Focus. The course.

Right.

The time I want is something under five minutes. The course is not difficult. It does require good running stamina and decent speed to cover ground. I don't think I'm too fast, so a Body Replacement will help by not having me run. I think about Body Flicker instead, but I've never had the time to practice the latter. This is a bad place to pull off something entirely new.

There are a few strength portions of the test. There is a balance section. Towards the end is a reflex section where pillars with jutting poles at random intervals spin and threaten to knock the ninja out if they're too slow.

There's a vertical jump portion. Every 50 centimeters is a flag of a different color. The highest is 500 centimeters. Knowing how some Genin can leap as high as trees and tall buildings, 500cm is a cake walk. I can aim for it.

Afterwards there's a simple jog to the end. I gauge the distance from the vertical jump to end. A Body Replacement will suffice.

I quickly run my numbers and come out with an estimated 2 to 3 minutes.

I'm giddy when Mune Hyuuga gets called to the course. I glance over and see Nitsuke's jaw is tight.

"Right, Hyuuga, you're off!"

Mune runs _fast_ , long arms dangling behind him. He makes it to the monkey bars and, rather than climb the ladder, leaps onto the first bar and swings easily across, like he's just casually walking.

The next section is trickier. He leaps on the mat, feet landing on the separate mat rectangles, and reaches down in the middle gap where a 20 pound weight is. Crab walking with the weight below his knees is no challenge. At the end, he releases and front flips off the mats, dashing to the balance section.

Man, he's graceful. It's like a rehearsed play. I don't think my family is too happy about that.

As expected, Mune breezes through the balance portion, not even bothering to put his arms up for balance. As he reaches the reflex section, he makes a tiger-like hand seal and the veins around his eyes bulge.

Little surprise the _Hyuuga_ effortlessly beats the reflex section, aside from a graze here and there.

Finally Mune does a vertical jump of 150cm, rolls, and crouches to a stop before Asuka, panting slightly.

Asuka nods as she pens in his score. "Very nice. Very nice, Mune. One of the best yet."

Mune bows and walks back to his Hyuuga crowd who nod proudly.

Kaori lets out a dreamy sigh. "He looked so handsome! Did you see how concentrated he was? His grace? It was so—"

I ignore her, preferring to think.

That had to have been really close to Hakuya's score. The elapsed time was something below five minutes. That weight test and reflex test are the longest sections.

Could I chakra skate across the mat? It'll take time to balance my chakra then move, but if I play my cards right, I'll fly past the hardest part. I definitely can't guarantee I'll do great in the reflex section. The weight doesn't seem heavy. I've picked up heavier—

"Listen to _me_!"

Kaori shakes me. She's still young. Innocent. I bite back my annoyance. "Yes, Kaori?"

"I can't do the weight part! I—I'm not strong!"

"Can't you skip it?"

"I'll definitely lose points," she says and stomps her feet.

"It's better than looking foolish trying to pick something up you can't carry."

Kaori looks above me in thought. "Yeah... guess so."

More children run the course. Ken Inuzuka actually does really good at the vertical jump. I grin at him and he winks back.

Then it's up to the Uchiha. My family is average, but, like, average among gifted kids and not the general population. So still good but it looks terrible when adults compare Hakuya and Mune to them.

Nitsuke does a pretty good job, though. He's fast and strong, breezing through the strength portions. He slows considerably at the balance and reflex sections. He clips a height of 50cm.

I clap the loudest and he ignores me. He's upset that his score is undoubtedly lower than Mune's.

Another Uchiha goes in place between Nitsuke and I—

"Uchiha, Shisui, ready?"

— _what?_

It's him. In the flesh.

Baby-faced Shisui smiles at Nitsuke, who humphs, before getting into position. He looks the exact same, aside for his large eyes, round face, shorter and chubbier stature. The boy who wielded Kotoamatsukami—tried to, anyway—and the boy who was like an older brother to Itachi. The boy whose death broke my brother.

I force myself to breathe slowly, to calm down. I've come too far to lose everything to nerves. The surprise of Shisui can wait. _Focus_.

Shisui zooms faster than Mune does. He leaps off the top ladder step and then swings off the bars at the end. He slows down a lot at the weight section and picks up the pace in balance and reflexes. In the end, Shisui gets 200cm.

I clap loudly again and Shisui locks eyes with _me_ and can't _stop a grin_.

"Nice kiddo!" Asuka nods. "Right, last Uchiha for today. _Oh, great_. Uchiha, Takenaka!"

At once, every Uchiha looks at me.

I grin and take my place, calming my thudding heart. I'm at Asuka's side, give her a smirk, and I prepare my chakra.

"Alrighty! Takenaka Uchiha, you're off!"

I wait for the puff of air to leave her lips before flipping through my seals and twisting my chakra.

 _Come on, we got this in the bag! Let's go!_

I immediately leap off the top step and swing across the monkey bars, my arms moving automatically as I prepare my next replacement.

I swing into the air, calculate, and Replace. I blink to get my bearings on this foamy mat and take the weight in both hands, hold it up to my chest, and run down one mat only. Chakra skating will be another day.

— _that isn't totally cheating the system, eh, Asuka?_

I Replace on the balance beam itself, stick my feet on the thin bar to fight past my dizzy spell, and get a move on. Left, right, left, right. I shoot my arms up and out for balance and to crash them together for one more replacement.

I shake off the faint nausea and staredown the reflex station. I can't use the Sharingan so I just have to try my best. At least my body moves quickly, but.

— _poke._

— _poke, poke, poke._

 _Poke._

My stomach took most of the blows. That could have gone way worse than it did.

I focus on the upcoming vertical jump. I focus all the chakra I can to my feet, stop, crouch, and once I've matched my chakra, propel myself up and forwards like a rocket. My chakra strings are flying, attaching themselves to the 500 cm flag. I pull myself towards it.

I grab a green flag, signifying 400 cm.

So the jump _is_ harder than it looks.

As I roll and crouch to break my fall, a part of me is disappointed I didn't get my 500cm goal. I stand and hide my pain, though, as Asuka pens my time without a response.

No cheer?

I still grin at her and head to my classmates, sparing a look at the Hyuuga who have a disappointed look in their eyes.

Then to my family who all bow on cue.

"S-Sorry, Takenaka-sama. We did not know it was you."

"It's our fault for being stupid, Takenaka-sama."

"Forgive us for our tongues," Nitsuke says, bowing the deepest.

Shisui, though, waves. "Hello, Takenaka-sama. You look... not like the royal I thought but, still cool in your way, sir."

 _Don't fan out. Do not._

I drop all pretense of being a semi-uptight child and relax into the confident pose Karada drilled me. I'm already tall, so I see over most of the children's heads.

"You Uchiha," I begin, "don't really have to call me Takenaka-sama, you know. What a mouthful, eh?"

Black eyes stare back at me.

"Really," I smile. "Takenaka is fine. Or 'that weirdo'. I'll admit, I have been sheltered and some social norms I've learned are too formal, but I'm not stupid." My family share somewhat scared looks among each other. "Honestly! Relax!"

Nitsuke blinks. Then, "Well, Takenaka, you're really weird."

My family stare at horror at Nitsuke. Even he's pale, sweating slightly.

I let the silence extend... "Yup, I agree!"

And the tension breaks awkwardly—

" _You're_ our heir?"

"Maybe he'll grow into it..."

But Shisui hasn't stopped smiling. "I like Takenaka. He's weird."

 _Takenaka-san_. It's almost as golden as Itachi's _Tata_.

And before I can relax, I feel eyes on me.

I turn to find a rather large group of girls batting their eyes at me.

 _Oh no._

Kaori is the first to say, "You're _royalty_! I can't believe I ate lunch with royalty!"

"Me, too!"

"I talked to him!"

The conversation suddenly shifts to my performance before I can recognize _how_.

"—you looked so handsome!"

"I saw your muscles! Holy cow!"

"Takenaka is very dreamy!"

My smile becomes more forced by the second. It'd be bad to make enemies of so many girls. A part of me finds this all amusing and cool. Most of me feels nothing but sympathy for Sasuke.

"Thank you," I mumble to calm the girls. "You're all very nice girls. I hope we'll be able to be in the same class, learning together."

Those simple sentences make them swoon.

At this rate, I'll have my own Sakura. And she won't kick butt like Sakura. It's Sakura without everything that made her watchable.

 _I cannot handle a Part One Sakura._

I spend my time trying to escape the ever-growing herd of fangirls until Kaori gets called. As the last syllable of her name is uttered, Kaori's rational mind overtakes her lovesick mind, and she turns green in worry. "Oh no..."

I ruffle her hair again, mainly because of how soft it is and how tropical it smells. "You'll do fine, Kaori. You're six and there's still time to grow. No matter what happens, hold your head up high and walk proud."

Generic advice number 55... though Kaori smiles again and skips up to the beginning of the course.

"Ready, Yamanaka? You're off!"

Kaori is a decent runner who has to use the ladder for the monkey bars. She's very slow, but she makes it across (sparing some running time rubbing her arms). She doesn't attempt the weight section and instead speeds the balance section and does amazing on the reflex section. Her vertical jump is 50cm and her face is red from all the exertion.

I look at Ken Inuzuka and start to clap. Thankfully, he follows.

"Great job, Kaori!"

"Looked pretty good out there, yanno!"

Her face lights up. With three more students after her going and finishing, the practical exam is concluded.

Asuka is rushing us out the door, yelling, "Thank you, Legendary Children! We need a short break to judge, so relax, mingle in the practice hall, and we'll be right back!" And she slams the doors.

Kaori falls to the floor as soon as we reach the waxed floors of the practice hall. "Ah, so _cold_..."

"Kaori, girls are supposed to look lady-like," I say, sitting on my folded legs next to her.

"The universe can wait five minutes until I stop sweating."

Ken Inuzuka sits next to us as well, though he doesn't say anything.

So I say, "How well do you think you guys did?"

"The written was torture. Ain't never heard of 'convalescent' before today," and Ken shuts his eyes tight. "But the practical was okay. Didn't know no ninjutsu to get by as cool as you."

"Even so, you were awesome," I say honestly.

"What if I don't get in?" Kaori says, propping herself on her elbows to speak. "I need this opportunity. Inoichi-sama said I could learn my clan's techniques if I proved capable."

"I just really wanna puppy," Ken shrugs. "Not just any puppy, the _best_ puppy ever. Like, it's as tall as me already!"

Kaori huffs. Seems that wasn't the response she wanted. "And Takenaka is a sure win."

I see more people planning to join us, non-hostile. "Yes, but, there's a difference between me and you. I've never had a childhood. And you two seem very well-rounded. Be grateful of that, at least," I smile.

"You're Takenaka, right?" says the Aburame, once he's close enough to our trio. "May I sit and speak with you?"

I pat the ground next to me where Hakuya obediently sits.

The next person to sit with us is Shisui.

"I really hate waiting," he murmurs, an excited yet nervous energy about him. "I keep doubting myself, you know."

I start to respond, but Kaori snaps about thinking of others, and Hakuya's quiet _Takenaka-san_ distracts me more.

"How much time do you devote to training?"

I tap my chin and hum loudly in thought. "I'd say... 20 hours? Every single day of the week. Wash, rinse, and repeat for six years!"

Instantly these children stare at me, amazed and somewhat... something deeper.

"Don't pity me," I say, a shot in the dark. "I could have stopped if it became too much."

"Maybe, dude," Ken mumbles, pawing at his messy hair. "But, like, I was expecting maybe five or six hours. That's like more than twice."

"More than thrice," Shisui adds, a frown on his face that shouldn't be there.

Kaori sits on her knees, smoothing her skirt out. "Yeah, but... you probably don't know any better. Like, do you even know the world outside of training?"

"Of course! I have hobbies and pursuits as well!"

"Such as...?"

"Drawing and fishing, for starters."

"Oh!" She narrows her eyes. "Those are strange hobbies, though. Why them?"

I shrug. "Circumstances, I guess?"

Hakuya's deep exhales startles me a little, despite his quiet voice. "Well then. I understand I have much longer to go in order to become someone worthy of your time."

 _What...?_

"Hm?" I put on my best smile, even going as far to close my eyes. "I don't understand your meaning, Hakuya?" I lay my innocence real thick as I practically sing _Hakuya-kun_.

Hakuya turns to me, his thick, goggle-like sunglasses almost shining with vigor? energy?. "I, Hakuya Aburame, declare you, Takenaka Uchiha, my rival."

" _Eh?_ "

—is my super dignified response.

Seriously, what is with these people? It was fine when all this junk happened to people that _mattered_ , but all I want to accomplish is not _being_ the one to **murder my clan** and not _seeing_ **my clan murdered at all**.

"There's no way you're gonna beat Takenaka," Ken states, like it's an irrefutable fact.

"I will try. It will make me a better ninja."

"I don't know who to root for," Shisui comments cheerfully. "The underdog or my future leader?"

"You boys do whatever you like! Just don't you hurt my Takenaka's pretty face!"

I look around, startled how _I_ lost all control of this situation. "I don't really want a rival..." but it goes unheard.

Soon after, we children are rounded up in a big square practice hall's bottom floor, and all the procters line up on the balcony way above us. I recognize Asuka and Enkou quickly.

The head honcho is, thankfully, Asuka—though it's probably because she intimidated them. She steps on the balcony railing and shouts to us, "Congratulations! You all did exceptionally well. Unfortunately, some of you will be forced to leave and come back next year and that's alright. Others will further their education immediately. No one did poor today. It's all a matter of who's the best out of this really good bunch, yanno?"

She pauses to let us process that.

"Well, we'll show you the board of names who made it. But honorable mentions goes to the top written exam scorer, top practical exam scorer, and the top three slots overall."

Asuka takes a gold medal with a white sash from her co-worker. "The top written exam scorer goes to Nahime Mino!" We clap respectfully. Asuka tosses the medal into the crowd behind me.

"Top practical exam scorer goes to Takenaka Uchiha!"

I beam as I catch my gold medal with a red sash. Nearby children congratulate me. My heart feels like it's ready to burst.

Asuka now holds three metals of red and white sashes, bronze, silver, and gold.

"Number third overall goes to: Nahime Mino!"

Oh. This Nahime is better than expected.

"Number second overall goes to: Mune Hyuuga!"

And my family's morale drops. I laugh, anticipating a grudge match.

"Number one overall goes to: Takenaka Uchiha!"

I freeze. _Pardon_?

Asuka tosses me another medal. My hands shoot up to catch it but—but how did I...

The metal is seized from the air.

Before us, panting, bundled up in layers of wool and scarves like it's negative temperatures outside, is my old teacher. _Holding_ my medal.

"Marui-sensei?"

She meets my gaze with the most serious frown I've ever seen.

"As the Head of Shinobi Education, I, Marui Shimura, forbid Takenaka Uchiha from passing the preliminary Academy Exam!"

.: **EIGHT END** :.

* * *

 **Look look look,** _ **you**_ **try interpreting this paragraph:**

" _Eyes meeting was not something that happened only subconsciously. Expecting no particular trouble, an enemy would let their gaze race around the scene. As long as that optical axis and the optical axis of the [Sharingan] user were in alignment, it was possible to create a situation in which the enemy's gaze would intersect with the [Sharingan] user's, without the enemy's even being aware of it._ " — _Itachi Shinden: Book 2_.

 **What** _ **even**_ **?**

 **REVIEWS**

 **I'll answer them next chapter; I'm sorry I can't now. (My life is super stressed out.) I do appreciate your comments, and I thank you all the same. Have a slap-tastic day**

 **-18 Mar, 2018**


	12. ZERO: NINE

**A Measure of Darkness**

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." Reincarnation!OC

— Robert Frost, _Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening_

* * *

 **NINE**

 _ **A Measure of Darkness**_

 _The Great Bridge — Denouement_

* * *

"As the Head of Shinobi Education, I, Marui Shimura, forbid Takenaka Uchiha from passing the preliminary Academy Exam!"

 _What?_

Everything about her _one sentence_ breaks my mind.

 **Head** of Shinobi Education? Marui **Shimura**? **Forbid** me to pass?

Going by the textbooks, the Shimura Clan isn't very large or organized, preferring to scatter themselves among the Leaf Village and treat the Hokage as their clan leader. They are a feared clan, as notable as the Sarutobi Clan during the Warring States period. Though like the Senju, the description doesn't really apply any longer.

Most members tend to become shinobi. They contribute to a few things in the Leaf, interrogation tactics and barrier control the most. Unlike the explosive energy of the Sarutobi (see: their clan technique), Shimura are quiet people who love being underestimated shortly before killing the one who made that mistake. Nene Shimura became world-famous as a trapmaster. No one knows what Nene looked like, only that her victims would have her name somewhere on their unidentifiable corpse.

That's all I gathered, though. I took some time to research Danzou's clan and, unsurprisingly, the library doesn't have access to the _really_ interesting parts of shinobi. Wouldn't doubt the Leaf has major censorship problems. At least we're not Soviet Union levels of censorship.

It's not implausible to see Marui Shimura with a job so behind-the-scenes. Though, really, I had no other clues. The Shimura Clan doesn't have any notable characteristics like all the other clans, except that any private person I see on the street has a 1 in 4 chance of being Shimura. No one even has official clan statistics—population, demographic, percentage of shinobi, _blah_ —so common with other clans, albeit vague like Aburame or slightly inflated to trick others like Uchiha and Hyuuga.

Oh, _wait a minute._

I'm forgetting the most important thing.

"Marui-sensei," I say, smile feeling displaced on my face, "you say you forbid me to pass?"

Marui looks so confident. It's startling. It's not something I associate with her. "Yes, I do."

"What's going, Sensei?" Asuka drops on the practice hall floor, noiseless. She rises just as fast and eyes Marui. "The judges said it was fine."

"Perhaps we need better judges," Marui lamely retorts. "By any rate, Takenaka's test is inaccurate—the practical section, I mean."

Asuka frowns even more. "Yeah? What's the deal?"

Marui breathes in, cheeks puffed out. "The January Ninja Academy Legendary Child Examination tests these children for academic and shinobi proficiency! Regarding that, it makes Takenaka's test invalid and subject to retrial!"

She is _so_ passionate about screwing me over. I have to make a conscious effort not to grit my teeth and keep smiling unaffected.

Asuka's gaze went dull as Marui ranted. "What's the deal, again?"

"We can't accept a test to evaluate his progress," Marui pauses to breathe, "if he uses the things we will teach him _within_ the evaluation of his progress."

Marui is saying my advanced knowledge shouldn't count in my test. What a load of bull.

"He only did _one_ thing we're gonna teach 'em in Academy," Asuka shrugs, her furrowed brows now slightly trembling from the strain. "So that shouldn't—"

"If you can't understand the problem with using techniques no average student would know, then I'll make it an _order_. I command you to retest Takenaka Uchiha under an entirely new practical exam _and_ the test taker in question cannot use Academy-level techniques." Marui, having said all that with one inhale, breathes heavily.

Outwardly, I smile to Asuka, who looks vaguely offended, and say, "I accept, Marui-sensei. I'll allow a retake."

Inwardly—

What the _hell_? _Anything I do_ can be considered as one the Academy's techniques! Chakra control? _Check_. Basic Academy stances? _Check_.

She's trying to purposefully sabotage me, but _why_? Jealousy? Thirst for fame?

Or... maybe... she hates the way I looked at her. How she often disappointed me with her lackluster everything.

 _Damn._

At that, Asuka shrugs. "Well, whatever, he's chill with it. We'll get a new test set up right away, Marui-sensei."

Marui inclines her head at the woman and meets my gaze. Surprisingly... her gaze weakens into something less upset before she leaves with Asuka in tow to, presumably, set up my new test.

And then the other procters fall from the top floor to watch us, their light taps on the floor breaking the tension in the room. Children all around me start mumbling.

The doors open once more to reveal more shinobi.

"Incoming! Results board headed your way!"

The board of every student is carted inside the practice hall. I'm still dazed, but children around pull me and I'm face to face with so many names.

It's spilt into three sections: written, practical, overall.

 _Written_

 _1\. Nahime Mino_

 _2\. Takenaka Uchiha_

 _3\. Waga Akimichi_

 _4\. Mune Hyuuga_

 _5\. Hakuya Aburame_

 _Practical_

 _1\. Takenaka Uchiha_

 _2\. Mune Hyuuga_

 _3\. Hakuya Aburame_

 _4\. Nahime Mino_

 _5\. Shisui Uchiha_

 _Overall (top 90 admitted)_

 _1\. Takenaka Uchiha_

 _2\. Mune Hyuuga_

 _3\. Nahime Mino_

 _4\. Hakuya Aburame_

 _5\. Shisui Uchiha_

In total there are 300 kids in here today. I managed second and first, for a total of first place of 300 kids talented in their own ways. This Nahime Mino girl scored fourth of 300, meaning I missed a girl with a prowess greater than Shisui's and less than Hakuya's. And she's the _only_ girl in top ten. In the top twenty, there's Waga Akimichi. In the top 30, there's Kaori's name, hanging at number 28. Beyond top 40, more girl's names start to show up.

That's 90. 90 new faces with lives as unique as mine to beat.

Not just beat, to be Itachi-levels of number one. To be so far ahead of the curve that the only person that can top me is myself.

But already I've gotten second place.

It doesn't hurt _that_ much. It's impressive to know a child beat a reborn soul in academics.

If there's a rival I'd want, it's definitely her.

Provided I actually get accepted thanks to Marui's betrayal.

"I _did_ it! Inoichi-sama is going to be proud!"

Kaori is at my side, seizing my arm in her death grip and shaking it. "Number 28 out of 90! You know what that means, Takenaka?"

"You're really gifted," I offer, smiling.

Kaori grins. "Thanks, but! I mean! I'm the top ten percent of _kunoichi_!" My ears ring. I blink. "Number three, baby! All I have to do is beat Waga and Nahime, and then we'll be together forever!"

"Wait, what?" It sounds like she's thinking of wedding bells even though we're _six_.

"What? Don't you know? It's really common to have top ninja and kunoichi on a team together, plus a lousy dead last," Kaori misunderstands. "Our dead last, so far, looks to be number 90 overall." She narrows her eyes as she reads. "Migaki Yuami?"

I'm craning my neck, searching for that gazelle-esque boy. _Migaki_? Here? Considering my personal life lately, I hadn't really bothered much with the Yuami.

Still managed to piss them off once my Sharingan had me climbing up the rankings. Because my eyes helped me with menial studying, I devoted my study time to the real nitty-gritty.

I managed to be in the top 10 in med school. Hovering strong at number 10, actually. My scores from being in 19th place can't make me higher than what I already am, unless I'm a god and score consecutive S grades.

Currently at med school, second years focus on clerkships. I have to take a required amount of rotations specializing in different things: pediatrics, gynecology, chakra studies, surgery, epidemiology, et cetera. They are weeks of focused studies. It's like high school or college—I have to take the core curriculum courses before I can learn the things I really want to learn.

The Yuami and I structured our rotations differently, resulting in me almost never seeing them. But we still have homeroom with Uma in common, plus Uma is a teacher in the surgery rotation which I still have to take.

I can't believe Migaki wants to become a shinobi. Most Yuami prefer being stationary medics. Meaning they would only spend part-time in the Ninja Academy and study in med school until they graduate. The Legendary Child program is for full-time study. The only career requiring med school and full-time Academy are field medical ninja.

No matter how much I think, it doesn't click together. I don't really know Migaki Yuami, other than a boy who hides behind Hideri.

I don't see Hideri either.

A few minutes later, parents start to arrive to see their child's name on the board and go home. The crowd is less than half the size it used to be before Marui and Asuka call me back to the inside gym.

"Your new exam's in there," Asuka tells me, jabbing a thumb at the gym double doors.

"Before he proceeds, I need to speak to him privately," Marui says and motions for me to follow her.

Silently, I huff and obey. Marui leads me to an empty classroom where she lets me enter first. As soon as she closes the door, she sighs and starts pulling at her sweater's sleeves like teacher I used to know.

"You've im-improved so much in two years," Marui smiles. "I'm glad I could be your teacher."

I don't like this sudden shift.

"Marui-sensei, what are you trying to accomplish with all this?" I gesture wide.

"I heard what the judges were saying. They thought you were merely cheating. They... They felt as though Fugaku taught you those techniques just so you could win. They doubt you are a true ninja."

Oh ho. Something is burning in my heart.

Something is wounded.

A part of me thinks, _I am going to make them pay_.

"I-I-I know you're just that passionate a learner, though!" Marui, fists brought up to her face, forces the words out. "I can see you are very talented! So I will make sure those judges understand you are a ninja, true and true!"

I can't help it. I grin.

"Thanks, Marui-sensei," I say. "I'll knock'em dead."

The new exam looks more intense than the previous. I don't have the advantage of not being first, so I have to make sure whatever I do is the most efficient the first time around.

Asuka gives me a few minutes to plan before she whistles and yells, "Uchiha, you're off!"

No Academy-level techniques. Fine. I can do that.

I'm not a fast runner so I chakra skate to the first obstacle: agility.

Bars of asymmetric heights are lined up. The first bar is the shortest and the penultimate bar is the highest. I have to use every muscle I've got to propel myself upwards to the reach the higher bars. I pass the final bar and roll to my feet on the ground, arms and back mildly sore.

I start planning as I skate to my next obstacle: a wire trap thing. It's the equivalent of the obligatory "spy maneuvers through a laser, security field without dying" in every spy-themed thing ever.

The wire is stretched out over a small portion of the gym, intersecting at certain points, leaving rhombus gaps that are big enough for me to fit through or too small and I'll get stuck. With the Sharingan, this is a cake walk. _And_ if Mune used his Byakugan, I can use my eyes.

Alas, it must be kept a secret. Mune _is not_ a clan heir. Stealing his secrets mean very little.

I can do most of the flips and twists the wire trap requires. My body moves quickly from the Sharingan training, but it must wait for my slower eyes to catch up and calculate. In the end, it feels like I took forever.

The third obstacle is very close. Wall running. The mat laid on its side spans a long range. There's no way an average kid could get halfway across. I manage to make it because of my tree walking and water walking practice.

I hop off it and proceed.

The second to last obstacle is another jumping obstacle. There are hurdles placed before me, every bit asymmetric as the bars, that I have to jump over. The shortest one is above my height. I'm jumping and, by the time I land, I have to prep myself for the next jump. With each leap I do, I have to be careful to leave myself enough room to clear the next hurdle.

I finish it without hitting anything and skate to the last obstacle, lungs beginning to hurt.

Another balance section. Though this is a tight rope and not a beam. The rope tied to two posts is actually quite firm and supports my weight. But I have to walk awkwardly. It has me planting my feet in a cat-walk strut. It is, no doubt, my slowest section. I hop off the end and walk to Asuka.

"Good? Bad?" I say and cough.

"There's a new rubric I'm supposed to grade you by," she says instead. "You got a perfect score on everything except the wire trapeze and balance—4.5 and 3.5 respectively. But 5's the highest, so not bad, masochist."

I wince at the word. "Not in public, Asuka-sensei..."

The woman snaps her hands and, with a poof, an item appears in her hand. "Congratulations, Takenaka Uchiha. You're gonna be a Leaf ninja soon."

My gold medal joins my silver medal.

I bow to Asuka, saying, " _Thank you_ " like my life depends on it.

.:

The Ninja Academy doesn't start until April, so I have four months before I actually attend. Still, that's four months to prepare myself.

First thing's first—I've suffered through 13 years of school plus 2 years of med school. I am not about to be sitting in a desk once again for _hours and hours_. Especially how everything is for six-year-olds. _No bueno_.

Atop of everything else, I decide to study the Shadow Clone Technique. Just making one clone of oneself wasn't a bad thing. More than one and the ninja would most definitely die, which made the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique a forbidden technique.

(Even if I get caught for being advanced, it won't even matter. Root's not getting me. They didn't get Itachi. Danzou hates the Uchiha. He's not recruiting me to Root where the Uchiha can be _closer_ to central authority. Itachi was never in Root, but took Danzou's order because he had no choice.)

Father warned about it having the potential to kill me, implying chakra exhaustion—having too little chakra to live, a version of severe blood loss. I don't know where my limit is for it, too. There aren't any strict lines like the gold or white strips on roads, just equations that can predict with a margin of error. Even then, everyone's so unique, some can still function while others die.

The chakra within me is enough to perform Clone Technique without too much harm and can flood certain areas of my body with energy for hours. But Shadow Clone Technique requires a complete division of chakra. _Is_ that enough to _live_? It's a B-Rank for a reason. I could be just that unlucky shinobi that instantly dies.

But if I do it and cancel if I feel like I'm dying... I should be alright?

I park myself on the edge of my window and perform the Tiger Seal. If my clone is to split from me, it will fall out the window and hurt itself, disappearing.

I'm not too worried. Either all this studying kills me or chakra exhaustion kills me. It's basically synonymous.

I concentrate on my chakra, little dismayed how the frost slightly overpowers the heat, and force a divide.

Chakra doesn't like doing big techniques. It's a failsafe, probably, lets you _know_ you are going to regret this.

I fight past the cold lurch in my stomach and pour chakra to the edge of my skin. At this point, the sudden loss of chakra has me feeling hallow inside, like swiss cheese. I push it out and form an idea of my appearance like in the Clone Technique—like creating the visible outside part of a bag. I pour in the remaining chakra within that bag and _really_ begin to feel empty.

Though once I finish, a burst of white startles me. It smells like pure _chakra_. It's kinda like looking at bleach and knowing it's super bad to eat, yet you can still imagine a taste by its smells. Except it's not theoretical but real.

The smoke smells like the energy I feel within me, brushes my skin and tries to rejoin. It's a smell I can't begin to explain. But it's mine?

I spend so long confused and trying to navigate with half my body weight that I fall over and smack the pavement.

— _floor_. It's the floor. But my shaking body is not listening to me. It preoccupies itself searching for any scratches made by the roof tiles.

At any rate, all my chakra is back, albeit horribly awkward like a broken jigsaw puzzle piece.

"I didn't die," I mumble to myself. "Technically..."

Mother shouts from downstairs and I briefly console her before getting the guts to try again.

This time around the clone stays and it's like looking at a 3D mirror.

(I am appalled 2017 didn't create 3D mirrors.)

Clone Me is tied to my chakra via a thin, invisible cord. I can feel his chakra and he can feel mine, but he has no organs or blood within him, making him lukewarm and still to the touch. He's like a paperweight, not a human.

In mission, I could get killed having this fake human. But that's a discussion for later—

Right now, there's _two_ of me and I didn't die!

Well... aside from the hot and cold flashes... light-headedness... and the slow pull of energy that functions to keep whatever of a balance going and ignores my intention... I'm alright.

Clone Me who doesn't have to worry about satisfying his body looks bright and content.

"You don't look so hot."

I have a double freak-out, unsure if I thought that _really_ loudly or I mumbled that out loud. But then I see his lips move.

"We didn't die."

I start to incline my head but the room spins.

"That says a lot when we measure success by not dying."

.:

I realize _why_ it's a B-Rank. Also, why five-year-olds untrained in shinobi arts should _not_ do B-Ranks.

My real body has the equivalent of a really bad flu, minus coughing and sneezing, but coming up real close on vomiting and aches. Clone Me still functions normally, studying for me, helping me take care of me, without a hint of chakra exhaustion. So long as I submit a pulse of intent through our connection, he doesn't need me to tell him commands.

But if this is the pathetic state I've been reduced to, I _applaud_ shinobi who can Shadow Clone in the middle of a battle and still fight. New respect for Naruto's massive reserves.

I rest in my bed, propped up by pillows, reading my textbook as best I can past the fog in my mind while Clone Me is at my desk taking notes. Fortunately for him, he doesn't worry about muscle fatigue. So long as I have chakra, he has energy to do anything.

If that involves lifting up cars, so be it. If I have the energy.

"So," I mumble and Clone Me turns around in the chair, quirks a brow. "What's it like being a clone?"

"Pardon?"

"...knowing that you're not the real me... that you only live to serve me."

I had figured out real quickly that clones aren't actually clones. Their appearance is flawless but usually they follow a different mindset. Rather... the clone would only think things I am capable of thinking of (things like being a girl or learning boring things—he'd never think that), he thinks, but not necessarily in the same way and order I do.

Instead of clone, "twin" works more.

"I'm easily," says the clone, "the manifestation of repressed impulses and desires. I would, naturally, enjoy total control over your body and will find the opportunity to do so. Why? Because if you refer to yourself as an American-society kind of 'hero', then I am your direct opposite: a villain."

My jaw drops.

" _Nah_ , I'm totally kidding," he smirks. "But I guess my life is completely meaningless unless I'm fulfilling your purpose. I am nothing more than energy. Everything that makes up me is still originally you. I am nothing original."

 _Oh_.

"So anyway, it's cool getting orders. Live for them, really. Don't create me and tell me to never do something," he glares. "But whether or not I _want_ to actually do something—that depends."

"So if I cancelled the technique..."

"Not yet!"

Following that, the Shadow Clone Technique is probably one of the worst techniques to learn if a ninja doesn't have high reserves. Not _only_ is the minimum requirement to split the chakra, but the clone slowly burns that energy put inside. It mimics a chakra system under a Byakugan, but it certainly does not make its own energy. Not only do I suffer half of my chakra gone, I have to pour in a bit more as it burns up its chakra—even though my own core is struggling.

Whatever style I take up, I won't use this until _necessary_.

The only, only good thing is that clones speed up learning. I like receiving his knowledge when he pops. And how it can play with Itachi or help Mother whenever I'm too busy, so I'm not neglecting them.

Over the months I use this technique, I start to realize using techniques in general are very similar to DOMS—delayed onset muscle soreness. In DOMS, a person works so hard their muscle tear at the microscopic level and that sends pain chemicals to the nerves, leading to soreness. The torn muscle then tries to fix itself, becoming stronger and more durable so that a higher intensity triggers the next DOMS.

Same thing for techniques. The chakra used in every technique is a little, tiny, itty-bit less than when you first start. The difference is so minute, a ninja do esn't really notice. It takes a long time to realize how much I've improved.

By the time I start the Academy in April, I can function normally in short bursts of three to four hours. With more practice, I could be able to train or do complex tasks without the fear of passing out.

Still, I'm forced to attend the Ninja Academy without Clone Me for a time.

.:

April is the rainy month in the Leaf. Sometimes the rain is freezing cold like it's actually fall and not spring. Most times the rain is fat, warm droplets that pelt all unfortunate enough to have forgotten their umbrellas.

On the day the Third Hokage gives the Legendary Child program class's speech, it's raining badly. With how tight the man's scheduled, he can't move the date to a sunny day. Father complained about it while Mother took it in stride, equipping all of us with clear-colored umbrellas.

Despite how girly it looks, seeing the rain fall on the sheer umbrella hood is kind of cool.

The sky is dark like an early evening, with the sun struggling to shine past all the grayness, leaving blotches of golden-gray colors. Some of the early children are splashing in puddles or using cherry blossom petals as boats in puddles. Father tells Itachi and me to stand still at his side and do not move until the Hokage arrives.

It's boring.

It's too loud to talk to Itachi; I'd have to shout. So I just watch everyone else play until my mind starts to wander.

 _The Third Hokage, huh? Hiruzen._

I wasn't a big fan of Hiruzen. He's too kind, too passive. He's the epitome of a nice guy. I can name a dozen people outside of the Uchiha Clan who hate his leadership. Everyone wants him off the throne. They call him senile, a pacifist.

I really hate how indecisive he could be. How he could let Danzou manipulate him so much. The _Itachi Shinden_ novels touched upon this in great detail. But is Minato any better? Minato is a nice guy, too. He's strong just like Hiruzen. A war hero. What the hell's the difference?

"Takenaka, go."

My mom is shooing me away. A block of children is being formed, with shinobi men and women herding them all together. I get a spot near the back and, from a quiet puff of smoke, Hiruzen appears with an umbrella.

"It warms my heart to see that the Will of Fire burns bright in our children."

Hiruzen has a voice between every old, wise mentor in the history of anything and that one grandmother who always gave her grandkid cookies and kisses.

"You all will become fine, honorable shinobi," Hiruzen continues, voice carrying clearly over the rain. "The Leaf has loyal and dedicated teachers who only wish to see all of you thrive."

 _Oh sure, we'll just pretend Mizuki never existed._

"The Leaf was kindled by the bonds of men, friends and enemy alike. All shinobi are required to place first in their hearts teamwork and the collective good. The village thrives together and never alone."

What he says should probably move me, but I can hear some children mumbling under the sound of the rain:

"I bet you a 1000 ryo the Third's ass is more wrinkly than Granny's face."

"Your gran looks like she's, like, 12. Do mine instead."

"Look at all those gross bumps! He's the leader and he looks _that_ bad?"

"Legend says the God of Shinobi was _born_ like that."

"I feel sorry for Biwako-sama..."

I can't listen to him with all the murmuring. The temptation to laugh is great, but my family's presence behind me is enough motivation to keep still and _shut up_.

Hiruzen blahs on about other cheesy, motivational lines before he poofs away along with his security. Academy teachers herd us up to say our goodbyes to our families and enter into our future.

.:

As we 30 students are assigned to class 0-E, a certain person falls into step with me as if he'd always been there. Shisui Uchiha is a curious Uchiha even if I didn't know his entire life story. Like most Uchiha, he is refined and doesn't dare defy authority in ways to make the Uchiha Clan look bad. Unlike the rest, he allows himself to smile and joke lightly.

In his girly-looking eyes is a strong, perceptive gaze that could rival genius Nara.

"We haven't properly met yet," he says, beaming. "I'm Shisui Uchiha. I almost wanted to join the five-year-olds, but I'm glad I waited another year."

Shisui was _supposed_ to gain his Mangekyou when he watched his teammates die. Or, more accurately, he let his teammates die because of his jealousy. He may not be a typical Uchiha at first glance, but Shisui has darker side. I always assumed Shisui's darkness spread a bit further than Itachi's. That was why he was so willing to die in the first place, not even wanting to try again with the Kotoamatsukami.

But before me is a boy who, just like Kabuto, isn't anything like the person I'm used to. They're not broken and corrupted by the world (yet).

"Shisui, that is not a proper introduction," I say, trying to keep a very stern, regal voice.

"It's not?"

"No. The proper way is to say your name, your likes, your dislikes, your hobbies, and your dreams," I continue, now in my regular voice.

Shisui grins once he understands. "Then, I'm Shisui Uchiha. I like _gyudon_. I dislike sea cucumbers. My hobby is daydreaming. My dream is secret. Because... it's really cheesy and lame, just about the same as Hokage-sama."

I repress a wince. I don't want to be reminded of him.

It says a lot about Shisui that he likes seasoned rice and meat, possibly the easiest thing to make ever.

"Takenaka Uchiha. I like _kani-maki onigiri_ and dislike most sweets, the ones _real_ light on the sugar. My hobbies include drawing, fishing, and studying when I get the chance. My dream for the future is to be the heir of my clan."

I've already rehearsed my introduction, even though my Jounin-sensei isn't all too likely to repeat Kakashi's introduction.

"Crab-wrapped rice rolls," Shisui repeats. It makes me happy to know the food just _rolls_ off the tongue in both languages. (Not that he's speaking English.)

"Yes. Father brought home a crab and Mother made _onigiri_ with them, only that it tasted _not right_. It was because of the war that we could no longer get the King Crabs from Water and had to eat the lame Leaf crabs! My crab meat must be juicy, tender, and have a sort of smooth yet separate feeling in my mouth."

Shisui tilts his head ever so slightly. "You really like crab meat."

"I don't just like. I love. Love me some crab meat." I sit down next to him in my trance and find myself in the back row.

The classroom isn't too dissimilar from Kushina and Minato's classroom. Pretty much the same thing, just with six-year-old munchkins. Rows are divided into nine columns with two spaces in the middle for walking. The lockers and cabinets are lined behind us as well, though our seats have a hook to the back where we can slide our lunchboxes on. The back row is the highest of all rows, making the view more like a movie theater without any good popcorn.

Our teacher enters the room soon after I finish looking for familiar faces. There's Mune, Hakuya, Kaori, Ken, Migaki—basically all the children who scored 29 and above plus the dead last. Meaning of the 90 admitted kids, our three classes hold 30 students each.

 _Nahime Mino_ sits in the second row next to the window two columns away. I know so because she is one of the nine girls in class. The rest of them are either clan children like Waga Akimichi and Kaori Yamanaka or civilian who don't look formidable at all.

Nahime sits in her desk with a very royal air about her. Her dress is flawless and made of silk. Her hair shines. On her desk is an impressive array of school supplies and literature. Nahime takes up very little room and keeps her eyes on the window, like some sort of romance comedy protagonist.

Then our new teacher slides open the door and steps into the classroom with an all-black trench coat dripping water everywhere. He slips off his cap and his bald head glistens brighter from the wetness. _Enkou_. From the desk, Enkou pulls out a thick towel and starts to dry himself off. He sighs.

"Greetings, Legendary Children, once again," and his cheery voice offsets his dark vibe once again. "I am Enkou. I am your teacher until you graduate. I believe in all of you and I expect to see all 27 of you in forehead protectors. Now, as you are accelerated children, we will move quickly. Introductions, please. Say your name and your goal. We as a whole will help you achieve that goal."

Nobody in their right mind stands up. These are kids. They worry about fitting in. They're probably spoiled brats. It's asking too much to do something this _open_ in such a reserved world. Compared to America, at least.

Naturally, I stand up first, used to 26 first day introductions of my old world (once for August and once more for January, making it twice a school year). Everyone is swiveling their little heads to see who is dumb enough to speak.

"I am Takenaka Uchiha," I say clearly, articulately. "My dream is nothing groundbreaking, I'll admit. But it is to become the clan heir my family needs." I look at Kaori—who's awestruck I'm in the same class as her—and wink.

Kaori turns red before coughing and standing. "Well, I'm... I'm Kaori Yamanaka. I don't really have any dreams at the moment. Graduating is fine? I prefer to keep my options open."

She then turns to Ken who groans before standing. "Yo. Ken. Yeah my name's another way of sayin dog, so what? It also means sword too, yunno. Anyways, I just wanna be a super strong ninja and stuff. I dunno."

I nudge Shisui, hoping to up my hit counter to four. He stands.

"My name is Shisui Uchiha. My dream is... kind of lame and unimportant. I have another dream, though, and that is to find my best friend."

It _was_ lame. The cheese...

Nitsuke stands up, the only other Uchiha. Mune rises, maybe because his rival clan all went before him. Like that, a huge chain starts and ends with the most reserved people going last. Kaori manages to get Waga to mumble a response while Nahime Mino rises from her seat last.

"I am Nahime Mino, heiress of the Mino Clan," she starts, her voice as perfect as a queen's. "My dream is to successfully lead my clan as its first female heiress. That is all, Enkou-sensei."

 _C-C-Combo breaker_...

"Excellent, excellent job, children." I think we all warmed Enkou's heart as he keeps nodding silently, jaw tight.

The day passes by as boring as med school lectures but with topics that leave my mind going dull—not due to complex theories but omnipresent boredom. I just remembered why I hate school.

Lunch is the only time I feel alive because I manage to "convince" a group to form around Shisui, me, and our third tablemate Hakuya so that I can chat. There's Kaori, Ken, and even Migaki, who eats his food quietly and like a bird.

"Endless boredom here I come," I say with a dramatic sigh. "Tell me everyday won't be like this."

"We have a class trip planned two months from now. In summer," Shisui says.

"Is it fun?"

"Well, we're going to the nindera..."

I think about that. "So it _might_ be fun. Got it."

Kaori cuts in with a loud sigh. "There's too many boys! Usually I wouldn't be complaining, but half of them are girly and half of them are too gross!"

"Which is which?" I say.

"Ken and Hakuya are kinda gross. And Shisui and Migaki are too girly for boys."

—which leads to Ken's protesting and Shisui's mild attempts at bringing harmony.

"Takenaka is the best, so deal with it," Kaori states, giving only my name a _kun_ and dropping honorifics for the rest.

"Kaori, don't be mean. This is just the first day. I'm sure by the time we graduate, these guys will grow on you," I smile.

She doesn't say anything, but takes a bite out of her watermelon slice decorated with a cute face made of seaweed.

The first few weeks have lots of in class assignments as we learn academics. As we're covering year one and year two stuff, I pass everything with S grades. Impressive, but in the end, academics scores follow the same pattern as the written exam of the January Legend... _that thing_. The top five scorers in the written exam are all stuck in a 5-way-tie in perfection.

In the afternoons, though, are where all the fun classes take place: the ninja lessons. One of the first things we learn is Shuriken Techniques—the art of throwing handheld weapons. First we have to learn the anatomy of kunai and shuriken, then go through all the rules, then practice with wooden copies. After all of that, we go outside to one of the many Ninja Academy training grounds and practice throwing.

We're only supposed to throw a straight line for now. Advanced classes are timed and force a ninja to throw at different trajectories. I've got no problem tossing the bladed beauties straight, but different angles? Not as adept.

The early summer sun threatens to fry my skin despite the sunscreen my mom forced me to wear. I pick up three shuriken, space them in the three gaps between my four fingers, and throw them once I'm okay with wind speed and direction. They all hit the centermost dot, a bit more than a half a toothbrush apart.

"Takenaka, great job!" Kaori says at my side.

"No. That's not good."

"Huh? You hit the bullseye!"

"That's not important, Kaori."

They're not close enough to each other. I grab more shuriken and get them a tiny bit closer.

Sighing, I pull out my notepad and write _Practice Shuriken Techniques_ really big. I have to be better than the best. The best can throw shuriken with only a strand of hair in between. If I can't do the same without a Sharingan, I don't have much hope.

At the very least, I have the best throw so far, with Mune and his Byakugan hot on my tail.

We also start learning hand seals. I've mastered making the seals. I worry about my speed, though, and I haven't remembered every hand seal for every technique. Luckily we're given a cheat sheet to remember for the exam, a list with 250 common techniques all over the world and their hand seals. This is no sweat without the Sharingan. I've remembered thousand of medical terms without the eyes, but that required me to spend eight to nine hours going over terms every day. My eyes will cut the time down to eight to nine minutes.

Every week I still study about 60 hours, with half of that being physical practice. Most of the time I calculate comes from Sunday, my only true day off.

I still have yet to finish medical school.

Under the field medic option, I get full-time Academy and only part-time med school. I have to rush over to the school, participate in an internship, and get to go home early sometimes.

See, third years who want to be stationary medics receive full days of nothing but shadowing doctors who are showing students the ropes. Third years who want to be field medics shadow doctors for about three to five hours before going home.

The doctor I chose to shadow is Nonou.

She isn't a real choice, but I got a great letter of recommendation from Uma that allowed me to shadow her. It's simple work I'd already been doing the past two years with Sumomo.

...I still miss her.

Now I get to use more medical techniques, _including_ Mystic Palm that Uma formally taught me (and the rest of the surgery clerkship) in helping Nonou. I know what a lot of herbs and medicines are used for, doses, side effects, and I still have so much more to learn.

(As soon as Uma did, I borrowed Father's fishing pole and got to fishing. I healed fish for hours until I got too low. Even used a small version of it on patients in the recovery ward. I felt _unstoppable_.)

One day as Migaki and I are walking to med school in silence, I bite the bullet and say, "Who are you shadowing?"

Migaki stammers and mutters, "Rei-sensei."

That used to be Aki's third year teacher. Now she's graduated and attending post-graduate training. To put it simply, the medical field has med school, post-grad training (three to six years), and then an optional fellowship training for a sub-speciality (like _pediatric_ cardiology). It's a long, arduous process. But I'd rather have my doctors need more training than less.

"Oh. Why Rei-sensei?"

"She's... Hideri's teacher." Migaki practically hides under his cap.

"Hideri isn't a ninja like you? That's strange, no?"

"...he... thought... it was stupid. That Yu-Yuami are stationary medics. We don't need... to fight."

"But you're here," I grin.

"I'm dead last."

"Yeah? And you've got so many years until you graduate. Make the most of everyday. Work hard to reach your goals, Migaki."

Migaki takes a long time to respond. "I'm not... a genius like you, outside of medicine. I have to work twice as hard as everyone else. I... don't think I _can_ work that hard."

"I wasn't born a genius, you know. I worked hard. I always work hard. I've missed so much of my childhood working hard." I pause to calm myself. "I'm not saying be the best. There's always someone better. Just beat your own goals, got it?"

I'm a hypocrite and I don't care. I can't believe those generic words anyways. It sucks when a bad ninja kills your loved one all because you weren't strong enough to stop them. You just _can't_ be strong enough to beat something you don't know exists. So I **have to** be strong in everything so that the people I care about won't be hurt.

My family, Obito, Rin, Kakashi, Kushina, Minato...

Welp. At least Migaki is a little cheered up. Kids are still idealistic this young.

Entering the recovery ward is like a second home, even if half the people I see one day are gone. The war is dying down. It'll be ending this year, sometime when Itachi is four. Next year, October, marks Kushina's and Minato's death.

Probably.

Obito isn't Madara/Tobi.

Due to Kanabi, Obito lost his entire right arm, his dominant side. He's had to endure amputation neuroma, or phantom pain, in the arm as well as attend physical therapy. Unless Obito can learn hand seals with only one hand, he's going to have to retire being a ninja for good. He won't be able to be Hokage.

Kakashi told me that much. I can't see Obito because he sort of... lost a bit of himself. From the pain, to his dreams collapsing, and the mystery of Rin's condition that may just be death, Obito is not doing okay. Nobody except for Minato can talk to him as everyone else triggers a psychotic side.

I saw Kakashi in the recovery ward two months after Kanabi. He had been in trauma the night before due to severe chakra exhaustion. He told me all about Obito. It was easy to see he wasn't doing much better than him.

"Takenaka," Kakashi called, a little loopy from the mild sedative I gave him. "Takenaka... what if someone's brain is broken? Can't you fix it?"

"Mental illnesses? That's not my area of expertise," I said. "I can fix physical issues like brain tumors and hemorrhages. No doctor really gets what makes you... _you_."

Kakashi closed his eyes. I took his vitals and he woke up before long, saying, "The body is fine, but the brain is broken. How would you fix that?"

I had heard really weird things when patients were medicated, so I took it in stride. "Who knows? Maybe just call a Yamanaka to do a Mind-Body Transfer."

"Then the Yamanaka would be stuck...? Won't the technique end eventually?"

"Maybe? Maybe we can just remove the brain and put it into a new body. But science can't actually make new bodies." Sasori flashed in my mind and I said, "Maybe a puppet body. One crazy man put his consciousness into a doll. It didn't do much for his sanity. I mean, once you do that, your body never ages. You never die. On second thought, _don't_ listen to me."

Kakashi didn't talk anymore that night and was gone by the next day. I doubt he even remembers half of what I said. I only remember the night because I forgot to tell him to keep my Sharingan secret. I'm an idiot. I won't do to be an idiot in this world.

Anyway, it's muscle memory now to greet Nonou, ask for my assignments, and listen to her advice. Kabuto is always early during my shift. The boy is six and still passionate about the medical arts. I rarely see Aki nowadays.

" _Mother_ won't let me join med school either," Kabuto huffs while I'm washing the laundry in the basement. It's always hot and humid, dim and quiet. "Nobody can afford to pay the tuition."

But I got into med school for free and still am free, so long as I keep to the top of my class.

"Kanka-sensei endorsed me. She let me attend at no cost."

" _Eh_? How! Tell me, tell me!"

"She wants me to make her look good. She thinks I'm going to be like Tsunade-sama one day."

Kanka had always commented on how well-suited my chakra was for surgery. Learning surgery with Uma during my second-year clerkship confirmed my weird gift.

My chakra has the ability to stick and balance within another "ecosystem" or, in this case, a human's body. Operations where surgeons have to perform open surgery don't usually apply to me. I can usually slip my chakra in an insertion point and, using a Hyuuga and a sensor, can perform the surgery with only my chakra alone. Provided I take breaks.

There are surgeries that use chakra seals to keep a surgeon's chakra in place within the body. A pacemaker in this world is chakra inserted through an insertion point into the pericardial sac, where the chakra directly feeds the impulse to contract the cardiac muscles. They keep the heart pumping. The seal is placed on the skin above the heart where it is renewed every three months.

My chakra stays in the heart, never fading nor growing, gets its energy from the body's chakra. I don't need a seal.

It blows everyone's minds, mine included. I'm a surgeon master and I don't know why.

I suspect Ninshuu, because that _also_ screwed up my ability to make nature transformations.

In short, I _am_ making Kanka look good, without trying to. And so I pay nothing.

"Prove to her you're crazy good at something," I say to Kabuto. "Then keep doing it and she'll take care of the rest."

.:

The fifteenth of July.

The day the Third Shinobi World War ends.

It ends in the exact same way: armistice by Hiruzen.

It singlehandedly pissed off nearly everyone in the Leaf.

Hiruzen steps down, shortly before announcing the new Hokage candidate.

Father was gone all last night and now he stands with us, in the front row of the Uchiha Clan, with a deep frown. Anger and frustration radiates off most of the adults.

My first look at the Yellow Flash.

He's so _bright_.

His eyes are a perfect shade of the summer sky behind him. His hair is a blond between Yamanaka and Naruto, and even that color hurts as I squint. His white robes against the sunlight scalds my eyes. The wind blows majestically as Minato places his diamond-shaped Hokage hat on.

Much of the village burst into applause. My family is silent.

T-minus 16 months until Naruto. _Begin_.

.:

Summer break at the Academy is mostly peaceful. I help Nonou out in the early mornings when she's still reeling from the last night before. By the time I return home on the second Wednesday of my break, it's nearly eight o'clock. I slip inside my house and follow the smell of cooking meat and rice. Trade's been phenomenal lately, to get some kind of money going now that shinobi can't get paid to war.

In the dining room, though, is my father fully decked out in uniform. It doesn't look comfortable enough to relax in. As soon as we meet eyes, he stands and says, "I'm needed at the Police Force. There's been talk of Earth forces threatening the Leaf."

I nod and continue to make my plate of food. But the pork and rice doesn't taste the same. Same product but different taste. My mom didn't make this. I look over my shoulder and see Father inhaling the last of his tea. "Is Mother gone, too?"

"Yes. I told her to go in my place this morning. I decided to wait until you return to talk, however Itachi woke up." He wiggles a brow at Itachi who cracks a rare grin.

"In that case, I don't mind looking after my Itachan!" I'm not too busy (which makes me slightly anxious I'm _not_ ).

"Very well. Itachi's begun his clan training. If you train him, I will allow you to visit your grandfather's to learn Uchiha taijutsu."

Oh. He's _four_ , isn't he?

And me? Training him? Training the boy I'll have to someday fight?

 _What should I do?_

Should I sabotage his learning and make him weaker than me? Wouldn't that helping him in the end, so that he won't be burdened as a murderer? Even if I tried, would it even work? He's no fool.

But then I'm thinking that I could help Itachi eventually help me. He is a prodigy—will be very soon—and it doesn't matter what I teach him, as long as I am seen as the better child. I don't want my brother to be a talentless ninja walking in my shadow. If he doesn't feel successful in a gift of his own, he'll be endlessly compared to me. He might do something as crazy as killing me out of jealousy. In a way, Sasuke followed that route to a T.

And the boy gazing at me with hope in his big, black eyes is _my_ cinnamon roll.

"Definitely, Father." I watch my dad get up and finish the last bites of his food. If Itachi's four and Naruto's around the corner... "I'll train him for you, Father. It'll help you get some alone time with Mother, you know."

He looks at me, mildly shocked or surprised. "What are you saying?"

"Oh, _you know_. You and Mother _alone_ , relaxing, a break from the craziness of reality for just a moment. Husbands and wives need that _certain_ relaxation, Father. Now, make like bunnies and do it."

Father makes a weird, gasping noise almost similar to a choking sound. A grin pulls at the corner of his mouth despite him trying to fight it. "Really. You are too clever for your own good."

Once Father leaves, Itachi and I set up in my old training room adjacent to the house. My personal touches still remain, but now little signs of Itachi appear. He does everything slowly so that it is pure perfection in the end. His penmanship is of perfectly sized and placed Japanese characters while mine is slightly calligraphic with its slant and connecting lines. Both of which are considered beautiful despite the differences.

Itachi sits with his legs folded underneath and I mirror. The corners of his mouth are curved upwards.

"So, Itachan, what's Father already teach you?"

"Meditation, chakra control exercises up until intermediate skills," he responds articulately.

Pretty good. It's been three weeks since his birthday. "Good job. I think you should try specializing in something. Although it is great being a jack of all trades, you'll never be very strong if you don't master a skill. Sometimes the specialization can be fluid enough to be used more than generic skills. Get it?"

"Yes, Sensei."

 _That sounds so weird_.

Itachi's way too polite and respectful to change the title. I'll have to get used to it.

"Considering your calm perfection, I think Sealing Techniques would be best for you."

"Sealing Techniques?"

They had been on my mind ever since Kakashi. I doubt I'd ever have the focus to practice such an art, but I know Itachi might. He's normally alone. This could keep him busy. And if he's really good, he'll attract the attention of the few Sealing Techniques elites—Minato, Kushina, and Jiraiya. Itachi could become my go to person for any seal help.

A few months ago, I read _The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Ninja_ , the best pulp fiction detailing the complications and amazing uses of Sealing Techniques, written by the master himself, Jiraiya. I read it Sharingan activated, so the black ink floats in my memory vividly. I realized that it isn't the one for me. It's too patient and precise. Results are slow at first. It's something a ninja late in his or her life would do with so much free time on their hands.

So I arm Itachi with ink, scroll paper, and brushes of varying lengths. I set it all before him, take a moment to compose myself, and speak.

"Sealing Techniques began when a calligraphy artist made a mistake. Murasaki Genji of the Wind was the first Sealing Technique specialist. She was the wife of the rich and neglectful Wind Daimyou and occupied herself with this art. Which you'll learn. Ideally."

Itachi bobs his head as he listens, eyes bright and dancing in the light.

"Murasaki-sensei added chakra to her ink accidentally. It all began when she tried to slice her cake, not paying attention, and ended up cutting her palm. She didn't want other aristocrats laughing at her clumsiness, so she hid the wound. As she went to calligraphy, her blood spilled into the ink and she unknowingly used that ink as she wrote. Before long, she saw what chakra could do."

I take Itachi's hand, activate the Chakra Scissors, and with a quiet look between us communicating silently my wish for him to trust me, I cut his hand. Itachi lets out a tight breath and goes pale trying to keep the pain from showing. 10 fat droplets mesh into the black, abyss-like liquid. I heal his wound and continue.

"Karada-sensei both taught us calligraphy, so we don't have much standing in our way learning this. As you know, Japanese characters are made of two parts: the picture the logographic produces and the individual pictures that make up the meaning of the character call radicals. See, energy doesn't speak Japanese. We can't tell paper to fly. But if we create a picture, the message is communicated.

"For example, a simple exercise a Seal-learner does." I wrote down the character read as _shinobu_ , meaning a shinobi, a ninja, and _to endure_. "Both radicals are pictures representing the heart, _kokoro_ 's underneath, and power, _chikara_ is at the top. The power of the heart, to _endure_. An Endure Seal allows the paper to endure more strain than normal." Around the seal, I write, messy and trailing and forming a circle, the character for _focus_. Meaning, the Endure Seal takes the most priority when the scroll acts on the words.

"How does the paper just know?" Itachi says, both fascinated and confused.

"The ink is your spiritual energy and your scroll is your physical energy. You can't tell this, but the scroll is made from chakra trees—trees grown in high chakra environments. The scroll reacts to your chakra as it has its own chakra, too. Your brush both molds and gives directions."

"I see." Itachi writes his own Endure Seal way more neater. Mine is obviously written by a human being but his seems to be typed. "Interesting."

"It's a very patient and creative field few dare to learn. I believe my brother is smart and competent enough to do this. I've tried and I can't do this. So I entrust you can do this. And become something more than I can dream."

"Like Jiraiya-sama?"

"Maybe even more." I smirk. "Everyone calls me the next Tsunade-sama. Maybe you can be the next Jiraiya-sama, huh?"

Itachi chuckles. "I'll do my best, Big Brother!"

And work he does. His body always smells like ink and old paper. Mother urged that he keep his learning outside his room _and_ the house. She's probably tired of his baths taking thrice as long as normal, to fully rid of the smell.

I do teach Itachi chakra control, basic School of Waves taijutsu, and ninja tricks. But I mostly like to watch him lose himself as he tries to discover the trick to Sealing Techniques without much guidance. He's unlike Kakashi, the epicenter of amazing specialists.

On that note, I did try to find Kushina a few times to ask for any help, but nobody has seen her in months.

She's not dead, seeing as the Fourth Hokage, _Minato_ , doesn't look depressed. Maybe a bit tired from the craziness of post-war, but he still smiles and they are never forced or faked. Unless he's a good liar. Kushina Uzumaki cannot be dead.

So where is she? Where's the Nine Tails? If Naruto is born in October, then she'll get pregnant in January of next year, when I'm turning seven.

No Obito, no Rin, and now no Kushina. I've checked every Memorial Stone and grave in the Hidden Leaf. They are _not_ dead, but missing.

The real question is where are they hidden? Are they safe? Are they kidnapped and I, not a main character nor important in this world, am kept in the dark? Why can't I sense Obito's chakra anywhere?

I guess only time'll tell at this rate.

.:

I get home from school and shout "I'm home!" into the darkness of my home and get no response. Once my shoes are kicked off (and placed back neatly because of Mother's demands), I quietly search around. Itachi is in the study room. I hear voices from the kitchen.

I suppress my chakra and crouch. In the Academy, we had already begun learning stealth lessons. Don't move. Breathe quietly (which involves breathing in a strange, unintuitive way), and be absolutely in the present moment.

I hear a hiccup-like giggle belonging to a woman. I hear the grit in my dad's voice. _An affair_? No way. Father isn't an idiot. He wouldn't—

The woman talks and I know that's my mom.

Their conversation alternates between clear words and mumbles I can't grasp, but get the general pitch and length. These two are happy, weirdly happy, and are enjoying one another's presence.

I almost don't want to ruin it.

But I am kinda hungry. It won't take long until my stomach's groans give me away. I rise and shout, "I'm _still_ home! Anybody here!"

Mother opens the door first, still smiling pleasantly. "Welcome back! I have a snack made for you."

Said snack is fish and rice, with a bit of soy sauce.

"You look really happy," I blurt, looking past her to see my father eating his own bowl of fish and rise, smiling.

"Eh? Mama can't be happy, too?" Her voice is high and innocent as she carries my meal to the table.

"That's not what I mean..." I decide to drop it. There's no good way this can go.

( _This is so weird. I don't like it_.)

My Father reverts to normal eventually, but Mother acts a little different every so often. Our home is littered with fresh flowers, Mother brushes her hair or cleans the house twice to unwind, and her appetite goes from nibbling her food to eating two plates.

One night I activate my Sharingan and look until I see my mom's blue energy inside my home. It's way thicker now, and the brightest, the densest around her...

Oh.

 _Ohhhh._

Okay. I see what's happening here.

Not wasting anytime with wondering, I ask my mom during breakfast, "Are you pregnant, Mother?"

Their reactions are all simultaneous.

Father chokes on his tea. The hot liquid drips down his mouth and chin while he coughs and grabs a napkin.

Itachi blinks and look at Mother, not really understanding my vocabulary.

Mother inhales and says, "H-How would you know that? I was going to visit the hospital tomorrow. Did anyone tell you?"

I start to respond—

"Mikoto, you knew and didn't tell _me_?" Father cuts in.

"It was a suspicion. I'm late, is all. I was late a lot during the war, but now I'm starting to feel abnormal as well..."

"If you're... carrying, now what? We didn't plan for this, Mikoto."

"It's my fault. I messed up my fertility chart." She stares at her food, a submissive wife. "We do not have to do this until we are prepared."

At this point, Itachi and I watch wordlessly, swivel our heads to either parent.

"No..." Father stops, maybe because of how weak he sounds. "No. No, I do not want you to deal with that stress. There's been enough as it is. I do not wish to burden you with that."

"Fugaku, what are you trying to say?"

"It's all very annoying, having to contact Kanka, Karada, Marui, and the other boring man. Even all your impending doctor's visits, too..."

Mother gets up and walks to Father—who watches her only mildly suspicious—and throws her arms around his neck, squeezing tight, pressing their faces together.

They _do_ love each other. I've never seen... this is all so weird... it's as if my parents are actually aliens.

Itachi stares in silence, too, endlessly confused, endlessly startled by our parents.

Meanwhile Father leans into the hug as Mother laughs.

A few months pass before Itachi and I can see our mom during one of her visits. A woman with the Byakugan is documenting an ultrasound-like picture. Mother sits in the bed, looking out the window with a stupid, happy smile that looks all too similar to my smiles.

Itachi is fascinated by the growing bud of life within our mom as he rests his head on her stomach. It's really cool watching our little one grow using the Sharingan.

"What shall we name this one?" Mother looks over to me slowly.

"Sasuke," I say, "obviously! Sasuke Sarutobi!"

"I love that name. He will become a strong ninja like his brothers." She pauses. "And if it's a girl?"

"Ryou," Itachi murmurs.

"Sasuke's mother?" I say. _Ryou_ is just the old way of saying dragon in Japanese. It also reminds me of those twins Kyou and Ryou. A good choice. "I like that. But I know he'll definitely be a boy!"

"Is that so, Big Brother? I have a feeling it will be a girl."

I should definitely make a bet. Easy money! But that would be a bad influence on my brother.

"We'll just have to see with the baby gets out! The due date is May, right? Good. Sasuchan... no. Sasukun? Eh, a little better..."

Even if something dark is happening right now, because I'm so young, everyone keeps me stuck in the light. So, frankly, I'm allowing myself to hope and have fun. It won't be fun when I'm forced to grow up and join an ever darkening world.

.: **NINE END** :.

* * *

 **Trying a new style/flow of writing. It's kind of weird. Let me know if you're chill with this or nah. And thank you for the response.**

 **REVIEWS**

 *** You think this is a masterpiece? Aw, thanks!**

 *** It's always the fastest people alive who are slowest!**

 *** Thanks! I'm glad you think my story is different than the rest! I try my best to entertain you guys!**

 *** Since Takenaka is only a child, there is much he cannot know. The more he cannot know, the more dangerous the situation is. (evily mysterious grin)**

 *** Your ideas are amazing! SO many of them are similar to my ideas! And, yup, I'm going a bit faster.**

 *** Glancing at it subconsciously... I like that interpretation. As well as even looking at the nose or chin can still transfer the jutsu.**

 *** Ah, dang it, I think you're actually right about Minato's epithet. Well... let's just say that because of Takenaka's existence he has that name much more sooner now? (I'm sorry...)**

 *** I want there to be minimum angst! Kinda hard to do considering Uchiha should be Uchihangst, you know~**

 *** Good points! I also thought that going on the mission is a little Mary Sue, but my gut was all like "Entertain your readers! Don't bore them off!" But the only thing our boy can do is just train and prepare for the future. And that isn't really fun to read, apparently.**

\- 24 Mar, 2018


	13. ZERO: TEN

**A Measure of Darkness**

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." Reincarnation!OC

— Robert Frost, _Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening_

* * *

 **TEN**

 _ **A Measure of Darkness**_

 _Before I Graduate — Freshman Year_

* * *

A year or so after awakening the eyes, I can safely assume I've mastered them. Everything else is simple to train aside from the eyes' predictive ability. I had to use Clone Me's help but I think my training is too biased. I know how I operate. Even then, even if I think to my clone to act randomly, it's still something I'd think of doing, so it isn't entirely a surprise.

With nothing else to do with them, I just copy other ninja I see and then practice their moves until I can not only recreate them, but improve upon them as well.

For example, there's a certain technique used to jump on rooftops fluidly and minimize jostling bones and organs. There are ways to wall walk quickly and accurately. Throwing handheld weapons don't always require a ninja's hands to be free. Et cetera.

And I read. Read legends both true and fiction about shinobi and try to emulate their great qualities.

I have to be the best.

It's not as satisfying as I thought it'd be. My Academy classmates are smart children, but it's all too easy to tell I'm eons ahead of them in some regards. There's this sort of... gap in between us I try to pretend doesn't exist. It does. I'm not sure how to deal with it.

By the time November hits, I'm still making perfect scores, because A) we haven't even reached middle school curriculum yet and B) I studied this garbage until I was certain my brain bled, and secure the top ninja position. Nahime Mino is close on my tail, hovering strong at number three and top kunoichi.

Number two in my class is Mune Hyuuga, or Mini Neji as I nickname him. Never have we spoken a single conversation. His off-white eyes are always straining, even without the Byakugan. No matter what, he always tries to out do me, typically resorting to his own Eye Technique.

My class has begun taijutsu spars after months of prerequisites. As of now, we are only able to fight two ninja at a time per Enkou's guidance. The winner of the match gets to pick their next opponent.

Mune calls my name. Actually, he just intently stares at me, and Enkou calls my name.

I shoot a glance at Kaori (who's shouting how badly Mune's going to lose) and Shisui (whose eyes hold something intelligent behind them) before standing up and taking my spot across from the Hyuuga.

Under the pale pavement and the sky mostly painted white, Mune's yellowish white _kimono_ -esque top and _monpe_ are annoying to my eyes. The Sharingan itches under the surface. It would be so easy... but I cannot get stronger with hacking.

"Well then, Shinobi Hand to Hand Combat," Enkou calls.

Instinctively, we both raise two fingers, the mutual sign for _Let this be a good, honorable battle_ : the Seal of Confrontation. My other hand is a fist behind my back, knuckles rippling _adagio_ , and my eyes are staring dead at his core. Waiting for a muscle twitch. A tell-tale for what the Hyuuga plans to do.

"Begin!"

I expected to move first as Hyuuga are primarily defensive. Obviously Mune isn't a typical Hyuuga, as he lunges for me, a blue shoe coming up to his side and gunning for flesh. Not wanting to lose stamina—to feel pain—I do not block. My sandals scrape the floor; soon wind from the kick blows harmlessly by.

 _Kicking immediately. Long range. Hard hits._ He is looking to finish this quickly.

Mune easily reverses and throws his heel at me, closes the distance fast with a lunge. I push my body to the blind of his kick—to face his right leg's hamstring, his back. The heel of my palm is like a rocket, aiming to crash into his shoulder blade.

Mune jerks his head, quick enough for whiplash. I hesitate and notice a shadow expanding on his back. To my left is a massive curtain of brown with a metallic object sparkling in the sun. It's heading towards my face.

Without enough time to react, I throw an elbow up to block. _Crunk_ goes the object against me, leaving a reddening mark and numbness up my arm. In the time it takes for me to bite back any sound of pain, Mune twirls and faces me. My brief advantage is gone. I _could_ have ended the fight there.

 _He tried to hit me with his ponytail!_

I wish I can think of something witty. My mind is running too fast. I can only give him a smirk. It sets Mune off.

His finger jabs are as fast as machine guns. Hurt as much, too, as I alternate between blocking and dodging. Like this, I'm at his mercy. I can only react. Won't be long before he knocks me out with a well-placed uppercut.

I glance at his legs, placed in the horse stance. Super balanced. Can't pull his leg under him. My legs need to do something; my hands are full. A kick takes too much time; hands _always_ move faster than feet. Something to distract him. Something offensive. _Hurry_.

—hands _are_ faster. In the milliseconds between my block of his jab and my dodge of the incoming hit, my body moves as if my eyes were on. Two fingers hold onto Mune's drapping sleeve. Pull back. His flow is broken, broken by his right hand held back by me. Mune stops hitting to pull me off. I press my advantage.

I seize his wrist, turn, drag him, bend, and throw the thiny and bony body of Mune off my back. He can barely catch himself in time. I see red break the pale hues of his legs as he jumps back to his feet.

 _Press the advantage_ , rings in my head, makes me dash as Mune recovers.

And then we are hand to hand. My palm are cracking against his finger jabs. It isn't all too hard to track his hands as I already know what areas he'll hit. Unfortunately, this is a stalemate. Somebody has to win and somebody has to lose. What's the point of competition if that isn't true?

If I lost, I'll lose my perfect streak of S grades. If Mune won, he'll win admiration and a high grade. However, if he loses, he doesn't lose much. If I win, I don't really gain much. It's kind of our niche, really. I win and he loses.

I'm not going to break that now. Maybe when we are older, I probably won't care. Maybe after I'm seen as stronger than Itachi.

 _How will I win?_

How to escape this stalemate?

Obviously if I keep doing the same thing as he, nothing gets done. I have to break equilibrium.

I exaggerate preparing myself to kick. Mune fliches and sidesteps back, out of "range". No more jabbing. But won't he just close the distance and do it again?

I lower my kick down to where only the ball of my foot touches the ground. Mune obviously realizes that though I'm not obviously about to kick him, I could. If the battle must resume, he has to force himself into my zone.

A Hyuuga's weakness: lack of long-range techniques.

 _There we go._

"How fast," I grin, "do you think I can kick?"

Mune furrows his brows slightly, takes his time before replying. "What is the meaning of this?"

"We're both too calculating, eh? So let's do an impulsive bet. If you can come near me without getting kicked, you just might be able to beat me. But do you know how fast I can kick? Do you want to risk it? The Hyuuga are the strongest clan, after all."

The gears are turning so hard in his little brain. Traditionally, Shinobi Hand to Hand Combat is devoid of chatter. It's supposed to be a conversation between bodies and the enviroment. Not wanting for Enkou to call the match a forfeit, I don't say anything else.

An awkward mood hangs in the air as Mune thinks. He even glares, maybe embarrassed I've forced such a choice on him. No matter what, his move is weighed more than mine.

Mune bolts for me. I see my leg lash out, snake like. Watch as the boy, moving faster, takes my ankle, aims a jab. To my knee. _He's going to break my leg_.

My other leg pushes up. I'm completely at the mercy of gravity, being airborn like this. The extra weight slows Mune down, giving me enough to connect my heel with his nose. Naturally, he lets go and falls backwards.

I barely catch myself. Not a pretty fall, but eh.

The Hyuuga rubs his nose. It's bleeding pretty bad. His eyes are reflexively tearing up.

At the end of the day, Mune is still a kid.

I reach out two fingers for the Seal of Reconciliation. After hesitating, Mune completes the seal with his bloody fingers, moderately strong.

:.

Sometime after November, we start to learn about different shinobi careers. Enkou calls November "national ninja month". I already know what my career will be, so I'm mostly bored. Not nervous or excited as the other children. So, I Cloned myself and go to my clan's training ground.

Meanwhile Clone Me enters school.

Rather, _I_ enter _ed_ school?

I greeted my classmates as normal, took my seat as normal, and Enkou called attendance. With all of us present, he started with academics. After lunch, we learned of another profession, as usual.

"I managed to call in a special guest today," Enkou said, pleased with himself. "He should not be boring"—he stares at Kaori—"but interesting. Today we will talk about law enforcement careers. Anbu are generally hired as law enforcers, though they operate by more insidious means and recruit from a small, elite pool."

Shisui leaned over to me and covered his mouth. "Forgot to mention they'll never pick an Uchiha, you know."

"That's because there's no utility," I told him, mystifying him. "Not yet, anyway."

Enkou stopped when the sliding door opened with a stiff apology. Looking at whoever it was just outside our view, Enkou went a little white and bowed. Motioned for us to stand. When the ninja entered, we bowed on instinct. And by the time I picked my head up, brushed a random hair strand out my face, I almost choked on air.

"Afternoon. Thank you for having me here as a guest speaker."

—he said, center of the floor, feet shoulder-width apart, hands on hips. Chakra, though not intense, felt heavy enough for everyone to get unusually quiet.

And like a domino, heads swiveled between me and the speaker. I tried to keep calm, but my face and ears kept getting hotter.

"I am Fugaku Uchiha," he said. "'Uchiha-dono' will be fine."

I just realized how tensed Shisui and Nitsuke were. Shisui actually rubbed his neck because of his sweating.

I didn't know how well this coincided with my training back at home: Itachi appears out of thin air at this point, saying, "Big Brother is skipping the Academy?"

I nearly jump out of my skin. I had been practicing some Hyuuga taijutsu techniques, hoping to surprise Mune and become more versatile. The tree I stand under is chipped from my kicks, bent from my hits. "Itachan! You scared me. Hey, wait! Have some faith! There's two Takenaka. Today we won't be learning much, so I'd rather not waste the day doing useless things."

"Oh," Itachi sighs. He sits under the tree shade and watches me practice.

"I work in the Leaf Military Police Force. We work mainly by day and sometimes at night. Our goal is to keep the peace between clans, men, and our home. Our duties can be from inspecting a mysterious death or disappearance to negotiating an unfair trading deal in the marketplace.

"Knowing that, do any of you have a question?"

Father had to be doing it on purpose. His gaze was way too intense. His mask was an impenetrable wall. Everything about him kept the most inquisitive kids silent.

 _Why_ would he even be here when there were less important people who could have come in his place? Was this a test? Why?

I raised my hand.

Father took his time to glance at me and nodded.

"Why is the career predominantly Uchiha?"

He closed his eyes. "That was the edict of the Second Hokage. He made sure there could be no other clan with our power."

And so I raised my hand again, and he looked at me again.

"Isn't inefficient how the Uchiha basically share a career as Anbu? I would even expect we get trivial jobs whereas the Anbu actually contribute to a difference."

Father narrowed his eyes almost imperceptibly. "Be confident. Tell me your question."

 _Swivel swivel_ , the heads of many were audible.

The grass cools me down far better than water. Lacking water bottles in this world, I have to fill up a clunky flask. Itachi appears in my vision, upside down as he leans over me. "Are you the clone?"

I chuckle. "Maybe I _am_."

He slightly twists up his face as he thinks. "The Shadow Clone Technique is a B-Rank. Not A- or S-rank. So there is a flaw that makes it B-Rank, not A-Rank."

"Clones pop from the simplest of injuries," I offer, raising a brow in amusement.

"Hm..." Itachi's scowl turns into a bright smile, a child looking for praise. "You're my real big brother!"

"Eh? How do you know?"

He points to my bruised knuckles, the scratches on legs. "You've would've popped long ago."

All I can do is laugh and mess up his hair. Nature is riled up in preparation for winter. Birds soar behind my brother's head in a perfect formation. Distantly, crows or ravens are squawking.

"Itachan, how's training going?"

"It's very easy."

Which is just the response I want to hear. I poke his nose, making him smile.

"And Sealing Techniques?"

"Complicated... it is very subtle."

"It's not impossible to master it, Itachan. Hard, definitely. Not impossible. You know, some wise guy said that if you never continued to learn something that was hard at first, you could never learn something easy."

Itachi sprawls onto the grass beside me. "Confused..."

"That was my reaction, too. The quote's like a fortune cookie—needlessly vague. It means that if we as humans don't train ourselves to solve hard problems, we'll eventually lose the ability to solve easy problems. You'll get so stuck in your comfort zone, you won't grow."

He understands me; a look of realization dawns on his face.

I met Father's eyes and spoke: "Do you agree that the Uchiha have been awarded a job below our capability?"

Father, probably not as suicidal as me, said, "What I think is irrelevant. The Leaf is first and foremost."

"Certainly. But wouldn't you think that we Uchiha would be better able to assist the village if we had more power? Power that wasn't seen as a joke?" I added without thinking. Father did not respond. "What will it take for the Leaf to take us seriously?"

"We are seen as formidable, Takenaka."

(I did not introduce my name. The slowest children finally realized what was happening.)

"In _combat_ , which is its own kind of merit. But other than warriors, we don't really contribute much of the village's welfare, no? And until we _non-violently_ address that among our clan and several others, there won't be change."

(And we were so far from talking about careers.)

"How would you go about giving the Uchiha more of a position," Father asked dryly.

"Specialization in something no other clan can do. Our Eye Technique. We have the ability to copy anything. We should be leaders of Cryptography and imitation missions. We should be hired for ciphers or delivering important messages too vital to be written on scrolls. Instead we waste our time and effort policing when we could be far more efficient."

I was only growing more passionate because it reminded me _way_ too much of my old world. Some people were flat out prejudiced. They would rather suffer and not employ certain kinds or people, or deemed their rudeness okay when they successfully screwed someone they didn't like over. It was repeating all over again and _Pain_ was it annoying.

"Perhaps," was Father's phenomenal response.

"But excuse me for getting off-topic," I said, as if that could diffuse the tension in this room. "My final question is your salary."

"Entry-level tend an average C-Rank. High ranking officers receive A-Rank or B-rank."

"I see. Thank you," and I bowed.

Father left soon afterwards. Before Enkou could speak, my classmates were focused on me. Especially Shisui, who looked as white as clouds.

"You're totally _crazy_ ," he told me. "Challenging your father like that? I won't be surprised if you don't show up tomorrow!"

"He was Takenaka's dad!" Kaori shouted. "I was panicking! Like, I just kept thinking, 'Man, Uchiha all look really similar, huh!' Takenaka looks a lot like his father, mhm."

"That was so intense," Nitsuke interrupts. "Our leader is somethin'. You must have massive ba—"

I had excused myself to bathroom. Where I washed my face off with water and lamented that maybe, juuust maaaybe my dad was going to kill me.

I hadn't sensed anger. Then again, people are different in public.

In the end, this was just a ham-fisted attempt at getting Kaori, Mune, Hakuya, Waga, Nahime, others, talking to their parents about the Uchiha Clan. Hopefully influencing their clan representatives and getting some kind of change done. And with the Fourth Hokage liking Obito, an Uchiha, maybe he'll be able to persuade the Leaf Council (excluding Danzou) to give the Uchiha more power. After all, Father knew Itachi would waste his potential in the Leaf Military Police Force, basically a dead-end job.

Hopefully it'll work soon. Maybe within five to eight years. I have mastered my eyes and I _need_ every opportunity to show the world what a "genius Uchiha" I have to be.

Dinner ends up being really weird. Itachi keeps quiet about my clone, Father keeps quiet about the whole school affair, and Mother and me try to keep conversations going. It's not easy when half of your family are quiet by nature.

I decide to keep dropping hints for children of the Noble Clans and powerful clans, hoping they'll slip up and get their parents involved.

:.

Around December or January, my boredom is _unbelievable_. With winter, we can't do a lot of outside sports and activities, and children tend to complain a lot when standing outside in the cold. Clone Me ends up going to school more than I actually do.

I rest on the frosty grass in my thickest coat, staring at the paper the wind wants to rip from my mittens.

 _Dear Uchiha, Takenaka:_

 _You've been selected as a candidate for early graduation in the upcoming March of your freshman year. Based on many teacher recommendations and academic achievements, we believe you do not need to spend five years in the Academy..._

If I graduated now, I definitely won't be the youngest graduate, but I'll share the same feat Itachi had done before.

Doing so would really make me stand out. I would definitely be an Uchiha prodigy.

So it's entirely too easy to burn the paper and contemplate a rejection letter.

Firstly, I want to graduate with Shisui. I want to keep in an eye on him when in the Chuunin Exams, want to be kept in the loop. Besides, I already know that graduating too young wouldn't do much for me. I'd be able to go on missions, of course, make revenue, an epithet. But I want to be smart about this. I don't want the full life of a shinobi yet. Much like I didn't want to leave high school and become the adult college wanted me to be.

Obviously the whole rejection thing didn't go over well. Enkou tells me to stay after when the bell rings. Then we are sitting face-to-face, Enkou with soft eyes.

"You do not want to graduate early? You would do the tired forces of the Leaf a great favor, Takenaka. Imagine how proud your parents would be."

"That's true," I say, fake smile plastered on. "But I do not want to graduate. I want to wait until my friends do."

"It may just well take them the full, required years, however! You don't want to stifle yourself that long!"

"Yes, I know. So I'll just push them all harder, I guess. Think about it, Enkou-sensei, my friends are from mighty and Noble clans. Having the majority graduate together will strengthen the Leaf, than to remove me and have the group disperse naturally. The opportunity cost of me not graduating this year is offset by the strength the Leaf would gain by letting me graduate with the others."

Enkou is stumbling for a way to begin his sentence. Brushing off a stray cat fur, he rises. "I understand. I will notify Hokage-sama. Thank you for meeting with me."

Naturally, I have to tell the others about this. Ken, Kaori, Shisui, Hakuya, and Waga.

"So how about it?" I tell them. "They're already trying to ship me off."

"Don't see the problem," Ken grumbles, scratching his ear. "You're more of a ninja than all o' us."

"I-If you graduate," Kaori insists, face pink, "you can't be on a team with Nahime! Or... me, too..."

"It seems my rival is quite a _tour de force_ ," Hakuya mumbles.

"I'm not graduating without all of you," I say. "That's why I'm offering this. So we won't be separated."

"But... we're not as talented as you are, Takenaka," Shisui says, smile gone, for once.

"You made it to the top third of all the Legendary Children, right? You all _are_ talented, and you're going to prove that the Leaf can't break us up." I'm smirking now, hoping Minato (provided he doesn't die) will be lenient. "The draft officially ends December of the fifth year since the war's end. We can still graduate early, _together_."

Wide, childlike eyes stare me down, uncomprehending, hopeful, worried. I _need_ these guys, just as much as they need me. I don't want to be lumped into a crowd of random ninja like Itachi had. I know these 27 faces and the skills they are all capable of.

 _Should I just use my Sharingan?_

It seems like I'm not all too charismatic until Kaori shouts: "I'm... I want to do it! I don't want to leave my Takenaka behind!" With that, Kaori runs to my side and plants on her cheek on my shoulder.

Waga panics now that her only barrier protecting her from social interaction is gone; she bounds to my side, too.

Hakuya hunches his shoulders ever so slightly and walks to my right.

Shisui stares at me, face blank until a small smile cracks it. "I'm curious to see where this will go." And he joins me.

Ken is the only one left, dumbfounded. "That's a lotta work, yanno! You're not _that_ important!"

I blurt out, "Well, you still don't have your pup yet. You think graduating early would get you a really special pup, huh?"

His narrow eyes somehow widen. "We— ...Well, when ya say that, how can I say no?"

I release a breath. So glad I didn't have to do anything complicated.

I start the plan immediately that afternoon.

The plan uses Clone Me to go do my normal chores and to entertain my family. Real me trains my classmates. Specifically, physical training. Another bonus for me is that I get to train with my classmates for extended periods of time, only making myself grow better. The goal is 24 hours a week devoted to my training sessions plus the spare time we get in the Academy. To give the little ones short-term gifts, I invite them to my favorite, cheap restaurant.

"Welcome to the Uchiha Senbei," I tell my friends with a great flourish.

At first glance, Uchiha Senbei is very plain for a Noble Clan and prideful family as mine. Wooden tones and pastel blues anyone would see on babies contrast the bright red and white fan worn on my back. The place itself lacks decent air conditioning, so when it is hot outside, the owners will always be sitting under their little pavilion, saved from the searing sun rays. Since today is chilly, they remain inside. And opening the door, I already smell the fire burning in the fireplace, no doubt created by an adept use of Fire Release.

The store is barely populated by eldery customers and the rare Uchiha. It always smells like hot water and ginger.

"Oh, toasty!" Kaori starts to remove her winter coat. "This place looks..."—she grimaces—"nice."

"Just a stuffy, old-man place Takenaka would pick, too," barks Ken, face displeased and grumpy. He probably notices meat isn't served by scent alone. The rest seem content, however.

I find a roundtable and pull up chairs for the extra people. Before long, Uchiha Senbei's owner comes strolling up: Teyaki Uchiha, a man in his mid 50s. He limps as he walks due to the metal knees he had gotten from the Second Shinobi World War, (when Cloud had a ninja known for attacking knees, hips, elbows, and shoulders. He had a serious thing about making his victims immobile).

Teyaki had mentioned it to me before, a few months after I'd started coming here, when Mother introduced me to this place. It was hot. It rained the night before, so a humid, sticky air floated about. Teyaki couldn't stand up no matter what he and his wife did. I tried to help and he told me. There wasn't really any helping him.

"Don't believe that," said his wife to him. She turned to me, beamed, her puffy cheeks the biggest part on her face. "Takenaka is one of the best Uchiha medical ninja of our time."

"Ah? Is that so?" Teyaki looked to her for confirmation.

She just turned to me further. "Uh-huh. Pupil of Kanka-sensei and Uma-sensei. Known for his gifted surgical abilities. Perhaps Takenaka of all people may be able to help?"

The blood drained from my face. I _was_ getting known for something. Don't really know how. Maybe Mother or Father bragged about me and rumors spread. Maybe Yoshi or other medics spilled my secret.

But could I _really_ fix this man's knees? I haven't even begun specialization training. I'm just a general medic, able to treat various things, not super rare and complicated illnesses.

"It's nice for you to think so much of me," I said, politely, slowly as I thought of what words to say. "I have to finish my general education first. Then I can start learning surgical techniques exclusively. So, please give me some time."

Teyaki's wife grinned. "Oh! Look at him, Teyaki! Kindness still exists in our world!"

Teyaki rubbed under his nose, eyes averted. Though his eyes were dancing, what little I could see. "Eh. It may take him years. The present still exists. How about some _senbei_ , hm?"

Teyaki looks at me much more enthusiastically. "Ah! You've brought company! The same for you, Takenaka?"

I nod. "I'll also pay for the bill."

"Ehhh!" Kaori balls her hands into fists and practically squeaks. "It's a date! I'm on a _date_!"

"Man, hushhup!" Ken flicks her head, earning him a pouty scowl. "That means he'd be takin _me_ on a date, too!"

Kaori immediately draws back in disgust. "Takenaka and Ken, a couple? As if. The world would be ending."

"What's wrong with that, _blue-green_?"

"Takenaka is so poised and elegant. You're stinky, sweaty, and always covered in mysterious stains." She pinches her nose.

Ken sniffs under his armpit. "That's just soil."

"Why do you have _soil_ under there?"

"Soil soaks up sweat, cat-fer-brains! And it smell good, too!"

"You need moisture pads and essential oils," she says, precise as Hermione's _levio_ _ **sa**_. "That's the proper way."

While they argue, Shisui and Hakuya have already ordered their hot peppermint tea and pork _miso_ soup. Waga, after asking me, orders two hand-sized mini cakes and three cups of cinnamon tea. Eventually Kaori gets the same as me, while Ken just wants a 15-20: 15 percent mild sake, 20 percent tea leaves, and the rest tea. Considering how he proclaims it takes 50 cups to get mildly tipsy, Ken is allowed to drink the beverage.

"Everyone is doing a great job learning," I say, as soon I start to get bored from eating. "When we all graduate together, where will you all put your forehead protectors?"

Forehead protectors, headbands, _hitai-ate_ , whatever name they're called, they hold a special meaning in shinobi's and villager's hearts. The protectors had been depicted in stories and artwork since the time of Indra and Asura. During the Warring States Period, many shinobi were trained to kill as soon as they saw their enemy's hairline appear from the top of hills, to under the branches the attacker stood upon. This also meant many allies and innocents were unfairly killed, leading to the ingenious idea from a young Bushirama Senju to engrave his clan's seal onto mental, and place that around his forehead. The alternative was to wear a cumbersome war helmet used by samurai. Needless to say, it caught on _fast_.

But during this relative peace, there is no need to wear forehead protectors. It does denote loyalty and pride to one's village, but so does wearing a typical shinobi uniform. Some forgo the headband.

For me... I'm not sure what I'll do.

"—if you're a fashionable and delicate kind," Kaori is saying, "you wear it as a headband. Like, it keeps your hair out your face. And if you're really insecure about yourself, wear it as a wristband or anklet."

"I'm stickin to a bandanna," Ken barks, eyes closed in confirmation. "Looks way cool."

"I prefer a necklace or a scarf. It's cute enough for me, you know." Kaori pokes Waga's cheek, sending a cake crumble tumbling to her plate. "Waga, you should wear yours on your wrist. It'll make you look really girly. Plus, did you know purple is _such_ a great color on you?"

"I'm... very simple," Shisui says to Hakuya, smile placating. "I'll wear it on my head."

"I concur," adds Hakuya.

"Well, for me, I've got no idea. I think wearing one of them on my head is hot and distracting." I rub my forehead, thinking of the metal heated by the summer sun. "But anywhere else seems like I'm trying to set a fashion statement."

They sort of help me out in deciding, but in the end, I'm still neutral.

Much of our other conversations are simple as that. I continue to train them, they help me test out taijutsu techniques and train myself, and teachers start catching our eyes. Before long, we'll all be graduating together.

We will be on teams.

 _If I were Minato, who would I assign to and where?_

If the top and dead last is still a thing, my team will have Nahime and Migaki. But that's two medics on one team. Because of Tsunade, all medics must be properly allocated before adding extras to teams. More likely than not, teams _won't_ follow that.

So who would be my third team member?

The second to dead last? That would be two girls on a team. The third? That would be stupid. Of the 27 of us in here, we should have at least one powerful team. That team is so obviously me, Mune, and Nahime. But considering how the **prodigy** Itachi Uchiha ended with a foreigner, a jealous teacher, and a dead last, I probably won't have much hope for a _decent_ team.

But, hey, what can I do? I'm still stuck at seven.

:.

Even though war is over, the trauma room is in code black.

In short, there are too many dying people and not enough resources. So the hospital gets to pick and chose who to treat immediately.

If a ninja has no fatal wounds, he is a level green. He gets to wait in the waiting room for hours and maybe receive pain medication.

If a ninja has fatal injuries, but has a survivability rate higher than 70 percent, he is a level yellow and doctors operate on him ASAP.

If a ninja has fatal injuries with a survivability of 69 to 50 percent, he is a code orange, and, though doctors operate on him, it's not as many, and the doctors are already fatigued.

Wounded fatally with less than 49 percent chance of survival? The level red ninja tells the hospital any last words or will. Because doctors will not waste time healing ninja who are more than likely going to die.

Medicine is always thought of this generous, life-giving thing, and then there's the deeper things to it.

Nonou had already left the recovery ward to help out. And before long I, still a student near graduation, get to help out doctors like the nurse I'm classified as. My job in particular was to clean up the floor covered in blood, bodily fluids, and used gloves haphazardly thrown onto the floor.

I have to clean while 200 doctors scramble all around me. Since I'm just as tall as their waists, most don't notice me pass by, awarding me with elbow hits and flapping scrubs. I soon learn mopping the busiest areas is suicide. Mopping the areas where doctors have left their dying patients is the easiest to clean.

I try to avoid as many eyes as I can as I mop, squeeze out the bloody water, and repeat.

I reach a clean spot I hadn't touched yet. A man is sprawled on his back, barely worse for wear. No severe bleeding, no IV, just a VSS and black hospital bracelet with his name and red dot, signifying he will soon die. But he looks so calm. His body is slightly below normal temperature, but that could be his equilibrium. I remove my hand and look for his eyes moving underneath the eyelid (REM sleep, and all that) and blacks watch. Two, blank eyes.

"I'm a medical ninja," I say on instinct, as trained. "I am not here to hurt you."

The white is more than triple his slightly quivering eyes. I can see just how skin stretches itself against the skull. Malnutrition?

"Can you tell me your name? Age? Favorite color?" I used to be terrified dealing with injured shinobi. Some tend to panic and start firing technique after technique. With my few months of Academy, I can at least get away fast.

Rapid bursts of air forces its way out his mouth. His lip twitches upward, simulating speech, nothing comes out but strained moans.

"Takenaka, do not speak to the patients"—Uma is grabbing my hands that attempt to hit him in my shock—"before you have completed patient etiquette."

I regain control of my hands and pick up the mop, that splattered both of our protective scrubs in fine droplets of watery rain. "You scared me! A-And, I was just confused! He doesn't seem like he's dying. Are you sure—?"

"Are you doubting the men and women who have done this far longer than you have lived?" Uma presses the now erect man to the table, hands glowing lavender. "This man's chakra system has completely collapsed. We have tried giving him chakra tranfers, but it has only served in delaying his death."

Uma, the greatest surgeon of my time, can't even fix this?

"Do you know how it did?" I say, just as if I were his student all over again.

"Chakra five times as potent as his own entered his body and fully corroded his core. He cannot make new chakra, much less purify the contaminated chakra within him."

Woah, _corroded_ , _contaminated_? No technique—I should say, no known technique or Bloodline Selection/Limit is able to target only the chakra network. And genjutsu, who does transmit through chakra, usually leaves nerve and brain scars, not the _core_. There's no point in aiming a genjutsu at the core. That's like trying to cook toast with anything other than bread.

Oh—what if _Kushina just gave birth to Naruto and that's why all these injuried shinobi are here because the Nine Tails escaped and the Nine Tails has corrosive chakra, like all Tailed Beasts_

"What is wrong with you?" Uma gives me an odd look, more warm than his snarky tone.

"I, well, diddly dum fucked up and the very thing I was trying to avoid happened right under my nose! Isn't that funny!" is what I would like to say, but, honestly, I feel like something is corroding my core.

I can't reply. Time moves on, Uma has to leave the me just standing there to do his job, the corroded man stares at the ceiling.

I press my shaking hand on his core. Even without focusing, I can sense the ugly energy within him: hot and burning, a mix of his original and burned, awkward remnants of other doctors.

Pushing deeper, the energy starts to sear me. The lava-like slush rushes through my energy, not even trying to mesh with mine. I can only send out a little chakra, because I might risk damaging my own core. It's like being swept away in a riptide, with hot and pungent waters swirling viciously. Foaming like beer.

It's a stretch to reach the center. The lost city of Atlantis is nothing like its former glory. It crumples in the darkest depths. Its metal bends under the pressure. I move slowly. With every churn, a small part of me falls and burns in the fray. To the center. Where a small fragment of cool, soft energy remains. Where a small fragment of heated energy remains, not suffocating but embracing like sunlight. Both struggle to spiral. They need a push. A catalyst.

 _A catalyst. Kanka—_

I dig deep.

The familiar black surrounds me. I drift to the center, the dim center. I'm only a small trace in a world that does not belong to me. I can't do much alone. Even learned that several times in reality. So I just reach into the _metaphysic ball of metaphysics_ , and retrace my steps back to my world. A connection.

Vaguely, I can recall the glowing sphere.

And I try to ignore the small crowd of people speaking around me. Looking at me. Angry. Worried. Nonou is here too.

I push chakra through, slowly, make it to the sphere and pour my energy. The spiral churns in beat of my own, just at a slower tempo.

 _Please, please let me save this man_ , I think to someone. _If my family is as good as dead, let me save one life._ _ **Please**_.

The rotation increases. It's a baby growing up. It crawls. Walks with my help. Starts walking, though rocky and unstable. It walks without me.

New energy is being created. Not much, not with all of contaminated chakra to slow the progress. That shouldn't be too hard to get rid of. It's just removing chakra, much like Sakura removing poison from Kankurou.

I remove my hand. Only to quickly put it on his bed because I am _this_ close to passing out. The ringing in my head renders the world mute. The medic-nin crowded around me are rapidly turning into black stains. Droplets on my umbrella...

Some weird dream wakes me up, hidden underneath medicine and a pounding head. Annoyingly, the more I try to recall, the more it flutters away. I really hate dreams.

Oh, one sniff and I already know I'm in a hospital room. The complete silence gives off it's a solo. Maybe I'm trapped in the confidential sector all over again.

Wait, _why_ am I hospitalized?

What's with this steady beat I feel? An earthquake?

I rub the spot between my eyes. "I hate hospitals." My voice isn't really croaky, so my sleep must have been pretty short.

Close to me, an airy chuckle and "I haven't heard _that_ before."

I would have jumped up in fear if it were a random person. Maybe if it were even Inoichi. If it were Kanka or Uma, I would be happy.

This person is completely familiar to me, whether he knows it or not.

I'm glad the Leaf doesn't use heart monitors. Mine would set off every alarm under the sun.

The only thing I can do is glance over, see the red and white painted against gold, and close my eyes.

"It's—It's nice seeing you here," stutters some kind of weak, girly voice. "I don't—don't understand why you've come to meet me?"

"Ah," says he, like he's reading a newspaper, "Kanka-sensei said you would be very forgetful. I was optimistic in thinking you would be a bit more alert." A good-natured hum. "Anyway, I can't stay for very long, so I need you to talk to me now. I'll jog your memory."

"Understood."

"Right. You were tasked with clean-up during a—a code black, is it? You stumbled upon Honou Ike, a level red, who had been afflicted with near complete core destruction. Four hours ago, he would be in a body bag, not in the ICU."

I remember his eyes. I remember. I—

 _Kushina. Naruto. Nononono_.

"You performed an unauthorized procedure... but it successfully worked in saving a man's life. Expectedly, word got out and now similarly afflicted men want you to do the same. I and Shikaku have spent several hours declining the shinobi until we fully understand what you've done. It wasn't easy. Thank you, Takenaka," and he adds a short laugh.

"My question isn't so much what you've done—that will be reserved for the medic meeting you'll have to attend. My questions are... more opportunistic than anything. I've waited a long while, anyways."

But I really don't want to do this. Not with one foot in the drugs. Not exhausted and starving. And a little thirsty too.

I can't really tell him to leave, though.

"I'll answer your questions, Hokage-sama," I say.

.: **TEN END** :.

* * *

Short now, cuz I be **busy**. As usual, thank you for the response. Kinda wanted to post this on Apr 13. See you next chapter~

\- 18 April, 2018


	14. ZERO: ELEVEN

**A Measure of Darkness**

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." Reincarnation!OC

— Robert Frost, _Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening_

* * *

 **ELEVEN**

 _ **A Measure of Darkness**_

 _Before I Graduate — Graduation Day_

* * *

Minato Namikaze asks me the most irrelevant question as his opener, "Do you like the Ninja Academy?"

—which is a loaded question. If I say no, he could kick me out the school or make it harder. If yes, he'll be all like _Why?_ and I have to give him a valid reason a normal, non-prophetic child would say.

"Yes," I start, "it's very nice. Why? Well because, I love the learning opportunities there. All the new faces, new techniques, new books—I love learning."

 _Good nerd response, me_.

"Oh," Minato says. _Shocked_. "I'm surprised. I thought you hated the Academy."

"Why would you be surprised?" As an afterthought, "Hokage-sama?"

"Because you always leave the Academy using your Shadow Clone Technique," he responds. "I was seriously beginning to think of talking with you, but time slipped away. Even more baffling is that you rejected early graduation."

And back the phone up. I'd been trying to keep that a _secret_ for months. He knows. Mentioned it so casually, he probably forgot it _is_ a secret.

"Hokage-sama..." I sit up in my bed, smooth my hair to delay eye contact. "My clone... is a secret. How do you know that?"

Minato's brows rose up for a split second. "Ah. Excuse me. It slipped my mind. I'm too distracted. Yes, I know you try to keep it secret. But as someone like you, there are many watching. Not everything can be a secret."

It's probably Danzou. Great.

"I only do that because I want to learn more," I throw together words. "You know... double the learning. The opportunity cost of going to school means I can't practice my taijutsu or other things that I'm dubious they're secret."

"I think I understand, but the minds of geniuses astound many." Minato nods to himself.

Standards are low if these people think I'm a genius. Minato is probably flattering me to get me to lower my guard. I don't know if Inoichi is better at this game than Minato.

"Secondly," he says, "He is near the end of his rehabilitation, Obito is. You'll see him sometime later this year. Did you miss him? He misses you, you know."

" _Miss him_? I missed him as much as a fish misses water!" I repress the urge to grab his puffed up collar and shake him. "He's—He's okay? His arm? He hasn't left the Leaf, right? Done anything weird?"

The man's lips curve up. "You're asking funny questions..."

"Hokage-sama, you of all people have to know about the eyes more advanced than the Sharingan!"

He does. His smile drops so fast.

"If Rin is dead, Big Brother probably has them! He's not the best Uchiha around. People will want that power. So I _must_ emphasize my Big Brother has been safe all this time."

Rather than a response, he cocks his head to side, crystal blues search through my eyes. I have to look down.

"As expected," he says tonelessly, "you always know more than what you're supposed to. It worries me, slightly, that you'll create some kind of complex around all of this. So many things you know, so young..."

He's not going to tell me. Obito probably met Madara. I thought Minato was supposed to be reliable!

"And that man's chakra... Honou? That was Tailed Beast chakra. Please tell me Kushina is fine, Hokage-sama. Please. If she's dead—" I look up from my hands. "Is Hokage-sama...?"

Minato is back to smiling, placing a warm hand on my shoulder. His hands are huge. "Take a breath. Inoichi informed me long ago of your mission. Kushina is safe. I haven't seen her for longer than an hour a month." His voice dipped into emptiness for a moment, against a radiant face. "The Anbu have been working tirelessly to secure our borders as well. The man you healed was simply a victim of an altercation between Leaf and Rock."

Involving a Tailed Beast?

Yeah, okay—

Oh. Okay. I see. I think the Leaf is trying to attack the Rock's jinchuuriki. That ninja I saw may have been in Anbu or Root. Most of his clothes were cut away, so I don't know his original uniform. I might have screwed up... but at least the Leaf is safe.

I decide not to bring up the Tailed Beast. "I'm sorry. None of this would even matter if everyone got along. Hopefully I can do something about it." By which I mean let Naruto handle all of that.

Minato is silent, looking at me. If I were someone as formidable as Danzou, I doubt Minato would be so obvious about his analyzing. This could be his way of opening up to me, letting me clearly see whatever action he takes.

"What shall I do with you, Takenaka? You've always known more than you should. Danzou suggested Anbu, but under a codename so none knew an Uchiha joined. There we could keep a firm eye on you, gather how you learn so much information."

Minato clenches his hands together, leaning towards me slightly. Eyes barely blinking.

"Fugaku would never allow his first-born to stray from his sight. Plus, I don't think you'll do well in the Anbu. They are not typical people. Sometimes, my Anbu scare even me." He forces a quick smile. It must've been a joke. Self-depreciation.

"I _know_ Fugaku wouldn't carelessly slip things. But there must be a way how you get this information. Is there a traitor in our midst? Are you truly Fugaku Uchiha's child?"

It starts a tickle that, instead of making me laugh, drains the happiness from my memories. It crawls to my nose and mouth, slips into my throat and lungs to chill them. My body starts to shiver, occasionally coughing. Completely unresponsive to me.

"I wouldn't doubt if the traitor is Karada Tomoe," Minato continues, smile still stuck on his face but eyes glittering like a murderer. "There's something untrustworthy about a man that charismatic. They lead you into thinking they're always perfect, will ever be perfect, and if you don't believe so, well... you'd have to face the world, their brainwashed army.

"I've never liked the truly charismatic people. They are manipulators—be it for good or bad intentions. You are never winning whenever speaking with them, and you will never realize it. The most charismatic men certainly won't ever let you know how wrong you are.

"You understand you've got a bit of Karada's charisma, hm?"

I'm trying to close my mouth, stop my stupid, trembling breaths. All I can do is grip the blanket tighter.

"I don't think you're a traitor, Takenaka. I think you're very immature and have a childish understanding of the world. You know so many things, and I feel you'll tell the wrong people those secrets. You'll hurt many-a lives that way, especially your own.

"Particularly," Minato says quietly, drawing out the silence, "knowing secrets and having charisma makes you a danger far greater than being a good ninja. A good ninja sees his use on the field. A good manipulator sees his use in reality, constantly. I _should_ accuse you of a false crime and keep you locked away, however I understand you're very misguided!"

I choke on oxygen pouring into my body. The Killing Intent is nothing but a faint stain on my body. Minato draws back in his chair, crosses a leg over the other, grins.

"The way you cheered on Obito, the way you care about Itachi, the sincere respect you give to Kakashi, the fact you saved Obito's life, saved Honou's life, and your loyalty to your classmates! Takenaka Uchiha, I believe you'll become a great ninja. Just don't let those secrets run wild in your brain. Remain kind."

"Hokage-sama..." I do not know what I want to say.

"How about this? So you won't go playing detective on your own, I'll tell you. Kushina remains in the most secure place in the world until we ascertain her safety, Kakashi is doing well with Asuma as one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja, and Rin rests within the walls of this hospital, alive. No, Obito does not have the Mangekyou."

I was about to talk about Kakashi, but end up blurting, "Rin isn't dead? She's okay? Where is she? I wanna see her, please!"

"Rin... is in no condition to see visitors."

"Eh?"

I immediately picture her as brain dead.

"Her mind functions just fine. It's her body. Severely burned and broken by the earth. It no longer listens to her. She has no family and no close friend outside of Team Minato. There is no one to permit the doctors to let her die. So she lives, whether she wants to or not."

My hopes shatter. She can still die. Obito can still convert.

 **I will not let that happen.**

Despite the craziness since waking up, my body is calm as I tell the Hokage, "Kakashi has to return. I think there's a way I can fix Rin, and I need his Sealing Techniques."

"A— _Ah_?" Minato sweatdrops. A slightly quivering hand points a thumb to his chest. "Don't you know I'm currently the best Sealing Technique user here?"

"Let's be honest," I tell him firmly. "Your competition is between a pervert and jalapeno pepper. Plus, this may not be something legal that the Hokage should have his hands in."

Minato's smile ripples like the ocean. "Ah... maybe so. Still, I cannot command Kakashi come. He is in probation. You'll have to wait next February."

Too long. I need someone else—

"Understand," I nod.

"How easy." Minato smirks. "It makes me worried. I'm sure you'll be fine. Like I said, be careful about how much you know. I cannot always protect you."

He tousles my hair and stands, even billows his own cape like a girl's hair flip. "I've taken much of your time away. There's nothing left I must say."

"Ah, please wait, Hokage-sama..." I clear my throat. "Is Kushina... expecting?"

Minato flashes his teeth. "There you go again, asking unnecessary things. I won't amuse you in the slightest. Have a good recovery. Don't worry, no-one outside of this hospital knows you've been admitted, not even your parents. Oh, and be sure to talk to Kanka-sensei. She is really adamant about that."

I already know I screwed up. I wasn't thinking at all. "Ah, mm-hm. Will do."

"See you later." With a wink, Minato flickers away.

.:

Shortly after that, a freshman medic gives me my old clothes to wear (equipped with the smell of laundry detergent) and tells me to enter the meeting room.

It's situated on the first floor—the first floor up from the basement. I've always known senior doctors and attending physicians go inside to discuss important things. I just hoped that when I entered, if I do, I would be a senior doctor. Not with some feelings of trepidation.

The black door gives away to a bright, fluorescent light leaving me momentarily stumbling in the dark. Once my eyes adjust, I see I stand front in center behind a messy chalkboard with rows of at least 30 to 40 medics. One of which is Kanka, who stands up. I feel trapped. There are no windows and the door fades into the shadows. The world outside cannot be heard through the soundproof walls.

"You are Takenaka Uchiha, correct?" Kanka says, words stiff.

"Yes, Sensei," I say, almost forgetting the respectful way to address her.

"Well then, let us review why we have called you here." She pulls out stark white papers like a judge. "You are a third year medical student under the endorsement of Kanka who is scheduled to graduate next month." She shows the others medics the graduation forms I had to fill out. "You've yet to complete a post-grad year of training and residency training—which you've applied for a sub-speciality in chakra. So following that, you are not a full fledged medic yet. You are not to perform operations, especially without any supervising medic."

"Yes, Sensei."

Now Kanka looks away from me, to the crowd of stern expressions. "Patient presented with an assumed standard case of severe chakra exhaustion. Confirmed that his death was was assured and, under code black, was left alone. Uma reportedly saw him communicating to the patient and told him to desist. As soon as he left, Takenaka perform an operation that was never taught to him on patient. Patient is currently in the ICU with a strong chance of survival, however."

"Simply put, the boy saved Honou," said an old timer I'd seen a few times.

"But the question is how and what he did?" says my old medicine teacher, a nearly senile grandmother.

"The boy restarted the man's core! The file reported near complete core stasis! Far worse than Madara's core stasis!"

 _What_ was that?

"Did you transfer chakra into him?" says the senile grandmother.

"Medics already had done that before excepting what should have been reality."

"Um..." How am I supposed to explain what happened without sounding even more crazy? "I put some of my chakra in his core and helped... jumpstart the system."

"The hell's _that_ mean?"

I scratch my eyebrow. "Well, erm... I tried to match his core spiraling to my core spiraling using just chakra. Then I helped it until it could spriral without my help. That's... all, I suppose."

Kanka set her papers down. "That explained nothing whatsoever. Use your fancy, little vocabulary and gives us more details."

"That's all I know, Sensei! Using my chakra in his core, I matched his energy to mine until his energy spiralled without my help. It wasn't easy. The core was severely hurt by the contaminated chakra-but I got it working again."

"Perhaps it has something to do with his chakra's adhesive properties," Uma vouches for me.

"Restarting entire systems with chakra? It sounds impossible..."

"Regardless," shouts a gruff man, giving me a death stare, "this boy should be banned from medicine due to his malpractice! It would not be fair to let him go with a slap on the wrist when we've lost great medics in the past!"

A few other medics who look oddly similar to him start nodding.

"He should be punished, yes," Kanka says, "but we need his ability. It isn't justice if we allow thousands of people die from diseases this boy can cure."

"But obviously he does respect the medical etiquette!"

"Yes. That _is_ problem."

"Make him pay for what he's done. Cut off his tuition, desecrate his family's name, force him to pay for Honou's medical expenses!"

I bite my tongue to stay quiet. That man is probably a Yuami, probably the same one influencing Hideri. _How annoying._

"Those punishments will make his quit. We have to punish him without making him able to quit," the senile grandmother says brightly.

"In some eyes," Uma says, "this could be just another attempt at provoking the flexibility of the Good Samaritan Law."

"Oi, shut up! You don't understand what you're saying, woman!" retorts the Yuami. "And Umi, you too?"

"No, that could work." Kanka watches me steadily. "Takenaka Uchiha, your punishment for practicing medical release without proper authorization is that, upon graduating medical school, you will be forced to successfully heal 1000 people in the next five years. A significant portion must be difficult cases. I will not accept 1000 easy cases.

"Failure to comply will result in your entire clan being forced to pay back the years of your medical school as well as you being banned from ever performing medical techniques. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," I say.

It's only after I leave that stuffy room that I kick the wall.

"This is so stupid. I don't have _time_ for this."

1000 lives to heal, with a number of them having difficult solutions. All in five years. So by the time I turn 12, I have to be finished.

Else I'll become the new clan black sheep.

Only a month left remains until graduation from medical school. After that, I have to start healing immediately.

 _Fantastic_.

.:

In two more weeks, my first year in the Ninja Academy will be over.

Looking back, it was a little bit of strange and new, but nothing really ever stood out much. Many of my memories were similar to the ones from elementary school. Despite this being a ninja school, nothing really felt all that extraordinary.

Except for today.

"Greetings, Legendary Children," Enkou says, shrugging off his coat covered in cat fur. "As a culmination of my teachings, you will be given a practical exam. That exam lasts only three days. The exam is to survive with a partner. Those with the best survival skills receives As. Please note this exam is graded on a curve and has no set rubric."

Classmates are already scrambling to find their partners. Many of the more lazy ones start to give me puppy dog eyes. I shrink away and chuckle. I really want to survive with Shisui.

"Incorrect, pairs are decided at random. I must test to see if you are all compatible with every person, not a select few." Enkou clears his throat at the same time the sun hides behind the clouds. Every crevice and sunken part of his face is pure black from shadows. Only the tan skin of his cheeks and crease between his eyebrows remain mostly unaffected. "Starting tomorrow, Friday, the exam will begin promptly at eight in the morning. Please be here in a timely manner."

Packing for such a trip is easy. A few months ago, we'd been given a pamphlet on how to properly prepare for missions. I stuff all my junk in backpack and head out to the Academy after a light breakfast. We're then guided to Training Ground S8, or TG S8 for short— _S_ standing for "student" and _8_ standing for the region located in the Leaf. (The Proper Way to refer to it is TG S8-12. 12 represents the order in which the grounds were created.)

It's located slightly outside of the Leaf, surrounded by a fence with protective barrier seals all around it. TG S8 serves as the go to grounds for reproducing an atmosphere unlike the Leaf's. Within the grounds, it's not held to the same, domesticated standard as the village.

It looms before us. Distantly, I can hear water churning and smell some kind of animal I've never smelled before. I nearly gulp.

"There are four entrances in the cardinal directions. Choose whichever one you like. When I call your name, come to me so I may tell you your partner's name, then take your partner and enter."

Once he starts calling, we start talking.

"I feel very tensed," Shisui drawls, but still looks bright-eyed and happy.

"Of course there would be a practical exam," I sigh. "We can't very well learn in controlled environments."

"Mm? Doesn't this make us into better ninja? Because we have to learn from reality."

I just take his shoulder and shake it. "Oh, optimism, how I miss thee."

The kid tilts his head to the side in response.

"Uchiha."

At first, I think it refers to Nitsuke, but it's too close. Then I think Shisui, but why would the quiet yet firm voice be talking to Shisui while standing behind me? So I turn.

And then I have to look down.

"We have been picked to be partners."

—says a girl with narrow, amber eyes shimmering like golden coins under the sun. A perfect white kimono-esque top and simple red _monpe_ adorns her body. Though elegant, it's weird to see her body covered in less feminine clothes like her usual dresses.

Even her thin hair is held back by a red rubberband.

"Eh?" I utter. "Nahime?"

"We will enter through the east gate," says Nahime, lifting her little chin up. "It's the best way to measure daily progress."

"Progress?"

I'm barely listening. _Nahime Mino, my partner?_ Well, never have we once worked together for anything. Nor interacted. We're total strangers. I know she's competent, though. She'll probably be a really valuable partner.

"The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Entering through the north and south gates makes the direction ambiguous."

—I've also heard _plenty_ about Nahime's vocabulary putting me to shame, despite our decade age difference.

"We could look at the constellations..."

"I'd much rather make camp and rest than to peruse the sky for star patterns. Let's leave now." Nahime leads the way, very dainty and smooth. I compare my stride and see it's not quite her level yet.

TG S8 doesn't look completely unfamiliar. There is no pathway. Uncut grasses brush the backs of our knees, animal droppings are sparse and usually very old, and the heat from the orb in the sky is made less intense under treeshade courtesy of fat leaves.

She leads the way, but after a while I walk alongside her, feeling almost neglectful for letting her do so. "A cloudless sky. You know, I could be spending this time studying or training..."

"You shouldn't underestimate the value of practical experience," she says quietly.

I'm looking around. Listening for other students (I hear traces of whispered words far from our position). For any unwanted visitors.

"You could say so," I mumble. "But won't the truly great ninja shine without all this experience to fall back on? If they're able to survive without needing training, won't they go the furthest?"

"You're speaking nonsense."

"I'm only making idle chatter. I want to get to know my partner, is all." I smile at her. Though once I open my eyes, I'm treated to not a blank face, but the beginnings of a scowl. I've _never_ seen her scowl before.

"Let's establish boundaries, all right? Firstly, I cannot stand you as a person and as a clan. Please try to interact with me impersonally. Secondly, I know you want the best possible scores to remain number one. I would adore to take Mune Hyuuga's number two spot, so I will obligingly work with you for a good grade. Are we clear?"

Her acrid words sends a shiver up my back. Beneath her impressive poise is hatred. For _me_.

"Is that anyway to be friendly," I ask, aiming to cut the tension with a laugh. "We could be partners again one day. You shouldn't be unpleasant."

"If it were anyone else, I would care. However, it is you, the valedictorian. At all costs, you want the highest score possible. You would never do a thing that would sacrifce your grade." Nahime raises one eyebrow ever so slightly. "Is that incorrect?"

It's like someone took an ice cube and dropped it down my back.

 _Is it too late to change partners?_

"Nahime... why do you hate me?" I mean, sure, it's stupid to assume everyone will like me, but this is a bit much.

A bird squawks way above us. Nahime focuses on the bird as it flaps forcefully, a few feathers drift back down to the ground. "Why shouldn't I hate the Uchiha? And you as well?"

"We're not all bad people, you know. Teyaki—"

"There will always be exceptions to the rule because someone grows up under those rules and want to break it. The issue is that the majority of Uchiha are terrible human beings and provide nothing for the Leaf Village. You even admitted that was the case with your father, hm?"

"Then we can change it." I'm trying my best to stay calm, resulting in a softer pitch. "With your help, we can contribute something to the Leaf."

"The Leaf does not need your help. It has not needed your help ever since the Second Hokage was inducted. Your value after your death amounts to zero, so rather waste our beautiful Leaf resources, you know it would be fine to just die, right?"

Something burns violently within me. Not anger, not frustration. Something in me is desperate to prove her wrong.

"I'm sorry you feel that way," I say. "I'm sorry my family and I have to prove ourselves to someone like you."

Nahime stops walking, but I don't notice until the sounds of disturbed grass are softer. I face her, the little girl, with a smirk I can't erase.

"My goal is to save my family and show the world we are nothing to be afraid of. As a future clan heir, it's my duty to see to the well-being of my clan. I won't give up."

Nahime looks ready to retort until her eyes stare at something behind me. After a moment's searching, I see the bush up ahead with unnatural shadows on it. Like a creature hides within it somehow.

For staring too long, it leaps from its hiding spot and attacks—a jaguar.

"Bad!" I push chakra to my feet and leap onto the nearest tree, climb up it. Nahime is crouching on a branch a tree away, watching the animal. "Let's run away!"

"Cannot you kill the animal? We'll eat well tonight."

"We're only surviving three days. Water is fine."

Her amber eyes practically glow as she glares. "We need calories to walk, fight, use chakra. We must eat."

"You'll be fine. You need to lose weight, anyways."

The jaguar inching its way up my tree distracts us both. I hate its smell of old mud and spit. How could I eat an animal that smelled so gross?

"Retreat!"

I leap to the next branch, secure my arrival with the aid of chakra strings. I continue once Nahime is in my sight. We keep going, even until I can't smell the animal anymore.

I forgot how cool this is, cruising above the world in style.

—I see something black glisten in the sky briefly. I blink, though I can't tell.

"Ah, Uchiha," is Nahime's deadpan voice just barely above the wind, "be careful."

I refrain from glaring at her and look. Mid-air, I see it: two dozen poison arrows headed towards me. I mold and direct the chakra for a fast Replacement Technique. The arrows thud against my fake body whereas I reappear close by on another tree branch. The log drops to the ground.

"The place is booby-trapped," I say, a trite redundant.

"My, you sound so surprised. Standards for number one have fallen," Nahime mumbles.

 _Conflagration..._

"Don't you suppose we should find some water after all this excitement," I say through grit teeth, "huh, Devil-princess?"

To her, I've only added random syllables to her name: _Satana-hime_. To me, I've chosen to refer to her as the girl way of saying _satan_.

Nahime misses the reference but hates the extra syllables. "Please do not abuse my name."

"I always give nicknames to the people I like most! Like my Itachan or my Sasukun, or my Shissan!"

" _Shissan_? If you're referring to Shisui, I have never heard you say that."

"I'm waiting until we graduate first. Got to ease him into the whole nickname thing. But you're much more exciting, Devil-princess!"

It definitely pulls a chord within her.

We start searching for water and are careful to avoid anymore tricks. Nahime insists we follow animals to the water. Of all things, a flock of birds leads us to a small creek they bathe in. First step is to purify the water. To avoid Nahime see my blue flames, I use a medical release technique to purify the water for me. The water bubbles up in my flask, vibrating in my hands.

"We should boil the water, Uchiha. I do not think that will be enough."

"Well, I do! Can't you trust me any, Devil-princess?" I smile.

"I told you _not_ to pervert my name, Uchiha."

This is too much fun.

We spend a few hours next to the creek, using the cool water to avoid severe dehydration from the hottest parts of day. Nahime heads to the tallest of the treetops to create a map of the area. Meanwhile, I make sure our little camp remains safe.

With the Sharingan, I could just see chakra glowing or use its advanced visual acuity to see beyond normal eyes. But since it's (arguably) a secret, I rely on my hearing, my smell, and my sight last. I've got no doubt that if the ninja would trick us, they would go for visual genjutsu. They're always the easiest to make and the easiest to deal the most damage to. (The hardest thing to make genjutsu for is for taste.)

I hear a rustle of leaves above me, getting closer. I stand at attention, ready to launch a technique when Nahime appears through the green, lands in a crouch near me.

"Uchiha, the area is not very large. There are sections blocked off that are under renovation—whatever that entails. Many students are performing well enough. Your precious Uchiha is partnered up with Hakuya Aburame."

No fair. Shisui is lucky as ever. "At first, I was jealous, but then I think that I have you, and it makes me happy, Devil-princess."

I open my eyes to see a pale hand coming towards me.

I sidestep it, blinking.

Nahime retracts her hand and stands up nice and tall. "Please do not pervert my name, Uchiha."

A laugh falls out shakily. "For a second, I almost thought you were Mune!"

By early evening, we start moving again, heading towards the area near the renovation project. We assume that we won't have to face anyone and can rest easy for a few days, so long as we stay hydrated. By our speed, we'll make it there by midnight.

Our pace through treetops is slow. We have to look for traps and keep our movements quiet, time our shadows crossing the ground carefully, for a classmate could see our shadows and look up. Maybe we'll even attract more dangerous beasts.

As we move, I realize, in a way, I'm glad she's my partner. It's so strange knowing I _don't_ have to make sure she can do the things I can do, that she knows even better shortcuts than me. She's on my level.

But she's so incredibly boring. I get we're supposed to remain vigilant. Nahime absolutely does not want to talk me. Nor look at me if she doesn't need to. I get a shaky suspicion that if I'm about to die, she probably wouldn't tell me.

"Let's take a break here," I say. The sky is littered with stars. I feel a yawn coming on. "I'm kinda hungry."

"I should have killed the jaguar," Nahime laments. Then yawns, too. By the time she uncovers her mouth, her cheeks are dark.

"I brought quick snack bars if we desperately need the energy." On missions, a ninja can't take too much food that will rot or attract unwanted animals. It's generally assumed a ninja can, at least, hunt.

"As did I. We took the same survival class, after all."

 _Couldn't have stopped at 'As did I', huh?_

"I say we have four more hours left. Do you dare travel at night or rest?"

"Visibility is poor." She shakes her head. "Fine. I'll take first watch."

The thought of sleeping with her on watch terrifies me. She'll totally let me die. She might even lead a jaguar to me and get me killed.

"No, I volunteer for the first watch, princess."

"Is my offer not enough for you? Sleep. Obviously you are the stronger of us two."

Flattery. "Despite your kind words, I still have to reject you. I don't need much sleep. But a beautiful lady-to-be as you need eight hours of rest. Good night!"

Her eyes, amber saucers stuck in such narrow slits, shine like an owl's. "I am not sleeping on first watch."

"Fine by me. I don't have to sleep much at all." I shrug.

"Just as well. I have a very immature partner. How the girls in my grade admire you, I will never understand."

"Likewise can be said. Boys see you as the Princess of the Academy. What they fail to see is the hateful girl underneath, huh, Devil-princess?"

I block Nahime's roundhouse kick.

We end up sitting across from one another, wide awake. I start to watch the forest for any kind of unnatural movement. My senses are already strained for being used so long. I really do need a break.

But I am **not dying** because of a hateful girl.

I tap out rhythms and tunes from my old marching and contest seasons on my knee. Rehearse medical terms. Quiz myself on what I still remember about the Narutoverse. Anything to prevent my eyelids from being too heavy.

Sometime after, I'm surprised by how much the crescent moon has travelled the sky, I want to ask Nahime if I fell asleep or was just way too interested in my own thoughts. More than anything, I hear soft breathing before I see that her eyes are closed. Her face is at peace.

I walk to her side and pull out a small blanket from my backpack. Her head (her hair is like silk) rests on the soft cotton. I sit next to her. Generally a lookout isn't supposed to be right next to the sleeping person, but I figure if something goes wrong, I'll be right here to protect Nahime. As I sit, she curls up into fetal position, playing with her own hair as she sleeps—kind of impressive.

I end up waking her up only a couple hours until sunrise. Nahime is totally annoyed at how she lost, which makes me worried to sleep. I do. And find myself woken up by her when the world is an early sunrise blue.

"Thanks for not letting me die," I croak, flooding my body with cool chakra to shake my headache and grogginess.

"I still require you." Nahime points to someplace. "Find food. My stomach hurts. If you hunt, I will take first watch tonight."

"I don't know... are you sure I'm safe? I could be bitten or stabbed somewhere..." I check my arms and legs, rub my neck and face.

"You are completely fine," Nahime sighs. "You are also an annoying sleeper."

"Hm?"

"Every slight noise roused your half-awake body. Are you really that jumpy?"

I shrug and grin.

We find a lake. After checking to see the fish count, I grab a stick, use Chakra Blade to sharpen the tip, roll up my pants legs, and kick off my shoes.

"Spearing?" Nahime says, perched under the treeshade.

"How much do you eat? Is a fish okay?"

"Two fish, for my athletic lifestyle as of late."

Stepping onto the tepid water that tickles my feet, I get started. Small, skinny fish swim by. I'm walking carefully up and down the lake, as many fish are deterred by the ripples chakra makes in water. Some fish like the Crag Barramundi and Koi love chakra.

Then I spot it, just out the corner of my eye. A fish the two of us can dine like kings on.

Unsurprising, huh, such a monster can be found in TG S8 like this. Needless to say, I have my sights sent on one thing only: capture the fish.

I get a closer look at it and I **know** what it is.

The beautiful, ultra-rare

" _The Regal Arapaima_!"

"Why are you shouting? Regal what?"

The Arapaima looks about 200 pounds and 80 inches—tipping 90.7kg and 203 centimeters. The Arapaima is _bigger than a human_. More than four times times taller than any of my classmates.

 **I want it**.

I chuck my spear on the bank and grab my strongest ninja wire, placing a shuriken as my hook. Carefully, I manage to hook the Arapaima in the mouth, aiming for the least damage as possible. Immediately, the Arapaima starts to flail and I leap onto the bank, stick my feet on the sand with chakra, and begin pulling.

I soon realize only pulling would not work. It's _heavy_. I push a burst of energy into my muscles and reeling in the Arapaima becomes a small bit easier. The fish, with its long and slender body, swims left and right, trying to shake off the shuriken and flee. It threatens to drag me away with it. I keep pulling whenever the beast calms.

"What are you doing, Uchiha? What kind of fish warrants this much attention?" is Nahime's voice behind me. I think she's walking up to my side. I don't reply because slowly, I'm beginning to lose my breath.

"Uchiha?" There's a small note of surprise. No doubt she can see its golden-green scales shining through the clear lake waters. But just in case she doesn't, the Arapaima jumps up clear out the water, wiggling its body whilst airborne. A beauty.

Though once it reenters, I do get dragged closer to the water. I manage to stop myself and try walking backwards as I wait for the beast to calm.

"Uchiha, you are insane! That fish does not need to be caught. We'll be eating it for weeks!"

"Doesn't that sound fun?" grumble I, smirking. A sudden jerk in the line throws me off balance temporarily.

"Excuse your hubris for one moment and catch fish actually worth your time."

And risk such a rarity getting away? _As if_.

I play a defensive game with the fish, spending more time matching the chaotic direction of the Regal Arapaima and ensuring I won't go falling into the water more than pulling. I know time is passing by and I know fish fatigue as humans do. But I'm here trying to wipe off sweat during the brief milliseconds of calm while the beast seems to be gaining _more_ energy.

Time for the backup plan.

I push chakra through the ninja wire. That energy than extends from the wire in little tendrils, clinging to the bank with me. Just a another use of Chakra Strings. Both the wire and I are pulling.

It works so far. I take a step back and pull. A little of the wire returns to my spool before I stop. The Arapaima flips into the air once again and splatters me with a cool mist.

Pull, stop, release, stop, pull, wait, and so on. If I play too aggressively, I'll no doubt be thrown away. Ninja wire is made to be very durable, but it has its limits and reeling a 90 kilogram fish for a long time might just snap the wire, leaving me with a lost prize and shuriken. Though I'm more concerned about the Regal Arapaima.

"You need help. I want to leave this lake, unlike you, Uchiha."

That's about the warning I get before Nahime grabs the string just behind my hand, sticks her feet on the ground, and starts pulling. My chakra brushes her palm which reveals lukewarm energy underneath flesh.

"Follow me," I say shortly.

Nahime is very obedient. She pulls the few times I do and lets me jerk the wire as I please, into order to get the beast. Though she's way shorter than me, it doesn't get in the way at all. Even with two people, the Arapaima is still a monster to reel in. At once, it switches directions and keeps left. Nahime and I are pulling our hardest, the fish stays left, we are dragged a little, bit by bit. Our heels scratch the ground, trace a line to where we once were. And the wire snaps with a thick _twang_ noise.

A split second later, reality catches up with us. We both are thrown forwards and just barely manage to catch ourselves. Meanwhile, the beast flees the scene.

"What a monster," I lament, rubbing at my sore shoulders and chest. "Not even a ninja could catch him."

"I cannot believe you wasted so much time, and all for nothing at that." Nahime stands up and beats away the dirt clinging to her pants. "Fishing really is a ridiculous sport."

"Untrue! Fishing is a great sport! It's everything an Uchiha could ever want. A lone man's game between the beasts of nature and his own strength. Overpowering atrocities and bringing them back home to show of how talented he is. Using the Sharingan to predict the way the fish will go and react. Plus, it's so easy to cook fish with a good Fire Release or two."

"You do not have the Sharingan," Nahime states, lips thin. "You have wasted your life catching something you knew you were not going to catch."

"Even if I don't catch the fish, the event is still fun. I'm still learning. Still growing. And that's good enough for me." So close to the water's surface, I easily reach down and snag a small Vesper Gar out the water. "So if you're still angry, I can still cook."

Nahime breathes in through her nose. "You could have done that the entire time?"

"Oh, of course! But where's the fun in that, Devil-princess?"

I narrowly avoid the rock hurling towards my face.

After eating the fish and catching a few more, we continue until we hit the border. The big renovation project is marked off with yellow tape wrapped around a line of trees that fade off at the horizon. Beyond the tape is too dark to see. An eerie silence drifts from the forest.

"Now we just wait," I say to Nahime, who nods briefly.

We rest in tree branches again, after clearing them from traps. The hottest part of day begins, with the chilly gales offering us some relief. The time is spent silently, with I amusing myself by practicing speed hand seals and Nahime meditating. As time passes, I start to realize how cloudy the sky has become. It's going to rain soon. Maybe early evening or night. The clouds look so thick too. Possibly a massive thunderstorm.

"Devil-princess," I call, which immediately gets her attention, "it's about to rain. We need better shelter. Know any Earth Release techniques?"

Nahime frowns and looks off to the side before saying, "There is a better alternative. What animals can't stand the rain and go hide?"

Without letting me answer, Nahime climbs up the branch, disappears into the green. I wait for her to return. The air smells like water.

Nahime does return, with a little bird in hand. I almost want to pet it. It's so little, so tiny, so chubby for its size.

"There's a massive tree cavity in the lowest area of land nearby," Nahime says, eyes flickering to the assumed direction. "We can shelter there."

"The bird told you all that?"

She narrows her eyes. "I watched the Pygmy Nuthatch fly to its shelter. Surprisingly, these songbirds have predictive abilities more attuned than typical Nuthatches."

As if that just explained something.

So we follow the bird to a dip in the ground. The bird flutters to the " tree cavity"—basically, a hole in the tree I thought only squirrels lived in, and we manage to make our own cavity as these trees are twice as big as us. We cover our cramped hole with huge branches and wait in the tree hole for the storm. It's dark and every sound echoes, every wind gust whistles past.

Something warm and person shaped touches my side. It's only Nahime, judging by smell. "Why are you so close?" I say.

"The temperature will fall and we will invariably become cold. We should try to conserve heat just as the Nuthatches."

"You do know we're not birds," is what I would like to quip, but end up blurting, "I have Fire Release."

"Particularly why I'm choosing to sit so near."

Despite her hate, even she knows how to rely on someone. She's not hopelessly brainwashed.

The storm is in full swing when it's dark. We get to see flashes of white from the sky and rumbling that shakes us to the core. As we're a bit up from the ground, the small flooding can't reach us. We huddle in the cramped cavity, trying to conserve heat and remain as dry as possible. Somewhere along the way, I fall asleep. The next thing I know is sore muscles and a faint coolness from areas on my clothes that were soaking wet. Checking the safety of outside, I get us out of the cavity.

Everything is saturated and damp. Every leaf and blade of grass hold onto water droplets. It is impossible to gauge the depth of the numerous puddles.

"Oh, what I would do for a hot bath right now," I sigh.

"As would I," Nahime adds. She's taken down her ponytail and cleans it of debris. I also wipe away debris on me. Nahime replaces her ponytail with a bun and says, "We should eat and drink."

I hope the others are okay. They may be unusual but they are children.

"Today's the final day, no?" I say.

"It is. I only hope our performance warrants a perfect grade, however."

I close my eyes, just wanting to focus on making my expression empty. "Then that means it's the 19th of March. My eighth birthday."

"That's an unlucky number," Toko notices, almost like commenting on a funny dad joke. "Four is the number of death."

I wonder what she would say now that four plus four equals eight. Is Toko safe? She should be at least ten. Maybe she joined the Academy after all. It's not fair she's devoting her life to become the perfect wife of a nonexistent husband.

"Do you celebrate birthdays?"

Nahime's response catches me off-guard. I continue to train myself to make no expression. "No, I'll no longer celebrate birthdays. The Three-Five-Seven dates have passed."

Back in the old days, children and elderly died fast. If one wanted an heir, their child had to pass the ages three, five, and seven, the most common ages of death. Past that, their child's family would finally be assured their child will survive.

"Do you celebrate birthdays?" I say.

"Other than the Three-Five-Seven, I do not celebrate. They say as heiress of the Mino Clan, I shall not be too privileged. My welfare comes second to the clan's."

I'm reminded of Father, who was staggering after over-exerting himself in the Third War. "I've heard something like that, too."

"You do not have to lie, Uchiha."

"There's no use in lying. All humans create the same leader archetype, no matter who they are or where they're from."

"Madara, Takenaka, Fugaku, and now you—you expect me to believe your leaders were not praised for being bloodthirsty?"

"It got Madara killed, didn't it?" ( _Not really._ )

"Do you not know anything of your clan? Your father—Wicked Eye Fugaku—is known for his preternatural prediction abilities. The man toys with his victim as he knows every single outcome of the battle. No matter what you believe, _if_ you believe destiny can be changed, fighting the Wicked Eye Fugaku will prove your destiny is _fatalistic_."

I didn't know that.

I _didn't know_.

How does she know? From tales? From the Bingo Books? From witnesses?

The ability to predict every battle outcome... is there a way to evolve the Sharingan's prescience further? _How_? I need to know.

"And even your grandfather, he—"

Birds bursts into flight all around us. We're both standing, ready for some kind of technique. I'm watching the forest closely.

"That's not natural, huh?" I say to Nahime. "What do think could have caused that?"

"Perhaps a mutant beast."

"Should we just run again?"

"We have time. We may... leave...?"

That is not a good way to end a sentence. I see Nahime trying to lift her feet, only to fail. I start picking up my legs and, no, they're stuck to the ground. _Chakra_. Not a beast. Not a beast.

The greenery in front of us is thrown away as a muscled figure steps into the clarity of sunlight. He's a man with dark eyes lurking under his biege mask, red cloak billowing out in the breeze he generated.

"More shitty brats," he mumbles. "Tsuchikage-sama would be pleased."

Honou Ike's body flashes in my mind.

Pushing out all my chakra, I manage to free myself. The man pulls out a _tantou_ and charges my airborne figure.

Problem. A) Free the still stuck Nahime. B) Not die. Solutions? Distraction.

I've never done this in public before, but it's worth a shot. I mold my chakra as the blade cuts my torso. My fake torso. I hear the splatter behind me as I try and rescue Nahime. Throwing a look over my shoulder, all I see is red. Even the man staggers in the red.

 _That's_ why Itachi loved those crows. Way more effective than a log.

Nahime jumps up to a tree and I do as well. Soon the man is trekking up as well, footsteps closer to me than far away.

Fact, he appears before me, blade tracing a white line where my body was. We're still on the tree trunk, have to avoid the odd branch or two.

The masked man just dashes in close and starts attacking again.

Fighting hand-to-hand is my weakness. I'm a kid and he's an adult. I'll just have to defeat him playing to _my_ strengths. I avoid most of his quick slices, the way he trickly twists his hands to stab me every time I think his hands can't possibly grip a dagger at that angle. For one strike, I crouch and grab a branch I saw was close. I throw it. The man swipes it out his face, but as his eye contact is momentarily broken, I Body Flicker to a better spot.

My body sense of touch returns way faster than my vision. No longer blind, I'm looking for Nahime. Did she really abandon me? Is this man a part of the test? Maybe she's gone to get help. I'll just have to trust her.

"You're not escaping, brat."

I awkwardly twirl out the way from his blade. But even so, the razor sharp edge cuts my back. It's as annoying as a paper cut.

 _Give me a break_! I flip through hand seals and summon flames to my mouth. _Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Flower Technique_. Tiny spheres of fire fly spastic through the air. To my dismay, the man does _not_ seem all that terrified by my blue fire.

Whatever. While he is dodging and cutting the spheres in two, I am running away, trying to think of some way to dispatch him.

Would my Sharingan help? Probably not. The eyes work best at close range. Unless I can somehow fire off a genjutsu. But I would need to do so discreetly so no one knows I used the eyes. And whatever genjutsu I used, I just need him dazed long enough to knock him out. I know a few ways to do so.

Smoke is a good distraction. Fire leads to smoke. This could work.

I stop running and hide behind a tree. I suppress my chakra as I listen. The wind blows at me, it trails my scent to him and his scent further away, so I can't use smell. Hearing won't work with all the rippling leaves. I'm relying solely on my eyes to see the man.

The red is so easy to see.

The man stops on a branch a tree or two away from me.

"Come out that tree, now, brat. Don't make me angry. Tsuchikage-sama said it's optional to take you alive. You don't want a painful death, uh?"

He's too good. It's probably _my_ scent trail. I haven't learned how to block those yet.

What to do. What to do?

"Understand. I'm leaving."

I nearly choke on my breath. That's Nahime's voice. Shortly, I see her body appear.

"Smart. You know when to fold the cards," the man says. "Come closer and I won't hurt you."

This guy is about as subtle as a man in a white van, saying, "You want some candy, kids?"

Nahime leaps to his tree branch. Though moments before her landing, she throws three spheres, which burst into gentle, blue smoke. Nahime actually lands on the branch with the man, crouched, hands touching the damp wood.

"Your trick didn't work. I'm still standing," says the man.

"Yes, yes, which is great," she says, "this would not work otherwise."

"Eh?"

I hear her say _Technique_ and many clouds of smoke poof all around her. With each smoke fading, a bird appears. Every bird—maybe more than a hundred—starts attacking the man like vultures. He's audibly struggling within the violent tunnel of birds, but not dead by any means. Hidden by the flurry of feathers and voices, I turn on the Sharingan, line up the coordinate grid, and push the chakra through. A second afterwards, the man falls over to his side and the birds disperse.

I land at Nahime's side, smiling. "I knew I could count on you!"

"If you died, I would have a bad grade."

"Sure, that's the reason." I kneel before the man's body. He's motionless. "Guess I don't need to knock him out. At any rate, we should probably get out of here."

Nahime pulls out her map. "We're still alongside the renovation border. I've marked the cavity. So judging where we've gone, we are closer to the west entrance than east. We will keep straight until the end."

Good she kept track. I probably would've waited until night fall and go north. "Huh. Before we leave, we should probably check on the other students, make sure this man didn't—you know."

"Let the adults handle that. We've only just managed to survive alive."

"But if they die while we're running back to safety, then what?"

"It cannot be helped and it is not our fault. We are children. There is no reason to assume that whatever happens outside our knowledge has anything to do with us."

"Yes it does. My friends are out there. They're strong, but he's stronger. What if they're hurt, quietly whispering for help?"

"Enough of your stupid hero complex," Nahime _snaps_. "The good die and the bad live. That cannot be changed. Even if you find the wounded, if they still die, you will only further your own guilt that should have never existed in the first place!"

"I'm a medic!"

Nahime is silent.

"It's what I do. I save people who are wounded, alright? I'll be graduating this month, my final year. I'll be able to practice supervised medicine starting in April. It's my job to save those who are injured. So it _is_ my fault if I, a medic, fail to do my job."

The wind decides to stop at this moment. It emphasizes the silence surrounding us. I'm waiting for Nahime's approval to go search because I can't do this alone.

"An Uchiha medic," she mutters. "You expect me to believe that you've always been infatuated with medicine? That you, an heir, weren't raised to be a warrior, but a doctor? How many lies have told me since we began this test, Uchiha?"

"I'm _not_ lying. Yes, I did not want to be a medic. I didn't like the stress and long hours I heard so much about. I hated the fact a medic had to study for so, so long. But it grew on me. Kanka-sensei, Uma-sensei, Nonou-sensei, Kabutan, Sumomo—I've made so many friends as a medic. Some of the most unforgettable moments of my life come from being a medic. I _want_ to become a medic and a warrior. Believe it or not, Devil-princess."

And then a bluish-white light dyes the darkened world, makes dark shadows black.

Like a hellish sun above, the Earth ninja is at the apex of his leap, starts to plummet toward us, hand in the depths of electricity. My hair stands on end; the crackling all around me almost hurts.

The man on the branch next to us has no eyes, but wooden holes. An _Earth Clone_.

We don't have much time. My body is moving on pure impulse, going through the familiar six seals and using up the last of my absorbed fire to produce a Great Fireball. With my own chakra, I create another clone, one that starts to reach for us.

The blue-white and blue-white coalesce into this bright flash of pure white. The heat is unbearable. I feel like every metal weapon on my body just soaks it all up and threatens to melt on me.

I have to close my eyes.

That's when the clone grabs my wrist and throws.

The lightning's crackling, the fire's crackling as it burns the forest—everything is all so indistinguishable. A crackling sounds just under my ear. I'm burning. My back is burning and a stroke of lightning maimed my flesh.

My chakra is virtually zero. Once the clone bursts, all I'm rewarded with is an experience on how it feels to be simultaneously burned and electrocuted.

And I free fall to the ground, so far below.

" _Uchiha_!"

Nahime doesn't look terribly bad, just a few minor burns. Her hand is stretched out, reaching for my hand as we fall.

My hand sort of seeks her own out. Against my will. She uses Chakra Strings to pull my hand close and hold on tight.

I close my eyes.

.:

Cat eyes gaze upon me. Bright yellow.

"—we have to go..."

My back is raw with pain. I feel like scratching it, though I doubt it'll do much.

The cat is human; I notice it as my eyes adjust.

"...the man, Uchiha..."

"Nahime."

She was injured, right? I summon a bit of chakra to preform the Diagnostic Technique. She's used up half her chakra and has minor cuts and burns. She'll be okay.

I know I'm not. I sit up and see the blood stain I've left on the grass. I use the Mystic Palm Technique to heal the worst of it. Alas, without much chakra, I'll probably have some gnarly scars.

"Uchiha?"

The girl stares warily at me.

"I'll probably be okay, but I don't have any chakra left," I say. "Is the man dead?"

"I don't know where he is. I've just carried you as long as possible to the west entrance."

It's nearly sunset.

"I'm awake now." With a wink, I add, "Let this prince carry you away to safety!"

Expectedly, Nahime is not amused. "With the way your back looks, there is no possible way you can carry me."

"I'm fine." I get to my feet... and drop to my knees. _Why_ do humans use so much of the back to stand?

Nahime huffs. "Put your arm around my shoulder and I will help you walk."

"You're short, though..."

Nahime glares in silence.

She does help out. Though I have to use her head as a cane. Ever so slowly do we make it through the forest and the west entrance is before out eyes.

Every step closer makes my body more exhausted. Very soon, I'll be able to return to the world of soft beds and warm food. Even Nahime looks relieved.

We cross the threshold and into the late sun.

Five or six teams are already there, either stuffing their faces with snacks or telling stories to their parents. We all, in one way or another, look fairly dirty and dingy.

"Takenaka, Nahime!"

Enkou's voice startles me. He pulls me away from Nahime and carries me. "Are you alright? I'll be taking you to the nurse."

"I'm totally fine, really." I grin.

"It must be shock talking," he says to himself and starts running.

The nurse I go to is way back at the Ninja Academy. Two boys are walking out when Enkou and I arrive. My teacher places me on the bed and the nurse cuts of the rest of my shirt and backpack, then heals. The cold energy does wonders for my heated wounds.

"It'll probably scar," I tell her.

"It certainly will. If only you had more chakra, you would have been able to heal the brunt of the damage," she agrees.

"What? How do you know what happened?"

"The Academy teachers, high personnel, and parents were observing you. It was a learning experience for us all. You didn't suspect anything?"

"No. No, that's not even surprising."

The man _was_ a part of the test. Everyone I had seen so far had such minor wounds. Are certain people targeted more directly than others? That man nearly killed Nahime and me! Ninja are insane.

Hold on.

An Earth ninja that uses Lightning Release? Even though earth is weak to lightning? They didn't even do their homework. Had I put the pieces together earlier, I wouldn't have been really terrified.

"I'm an idiot," I say. "I really am. Everyone will see what a crappy ninja I am."

"Eh?" The lady's voice surprises me. "I thought you did fine. A few students did not last day two."

"I could've done something phenomenal, unbelievable even! Instead I argued with Devil-princess, fished, and ran away from danger."

"What you've done was smart in its own right."

"Smart? Maybe. But not impressive and definitely not the best I can do."

The nurse gives me a look of pity. After applying ointment and bandaging my injuries, I get a nice snack and walk to the Academy lobby to see my parents are waiting for me.

"Takenaka! You are the most accident prone of anyone!" Mother says, stretching for me. I hug her best I can with her huge stomach in the way. With little Sasuke inside.

Itachi stands behind me, petting my back gingerly with a wince. His cautious makes me chuckle.

Finally I release and look at Father. As usual, his frown seems etched into his face..

"I'm sorry," I tell him firmly. "I did not perform the test to the best of my abilities. I was a little frustrated and not taking it seriously until it really mattered. Those days were not my proudest moment."

His eyes seem a little shocked. "You're not proud? You preformed well enough. You kept you and your partner well fed and hydrated. You were both able to rest and avoid the storm. You both survived the mysterious man."

Yup, that man was fake.

"But, I could have done _better_. My back probably—"

"Calm down, son. You passed the test. You will graduate. I am not expecting perfection from you."

He's totally complementing me. Don't feel like I deserve it. Heck, I'll take it, though. My mood is soaring. I, too, hug him. Father hesitates before rubbing a knuckle through my hair.

.: **ELEVEN END** :.

* * *

Sorry, this is all for my sake—I'm graduating high school (in top ten *cheer*) and I'm just really in the mood for a graduation. I hope you enjoy this regardless! Thanks for 400 follows!

 **Reviews**

(thank you, by the way)

* Cliffhanger is totally unintended; I ran out of writing time~

* Chapters are shorter until I add line breaks. It's really weird - it increases my word count 300 to 800 plus words. I don't know why?

* Itachi, a **sealing master** is what I so wanted in canon DAY ONE. Shisui _is_ canonically stronger than Itachi, but he was never super overt about his genius side, you know? Itachi was because he wanted to stop war and be Ninja of Ninja. Also, Takenaka and stop stressing? _AhahahaHHahaha_.

* Guest-san, it's okay! It's probably because my writing style is too girly! (Working on it, tbh)

* **sanjiyanukara** I still love your interpretation. Thank you for telling me about this! It's amazing!

\- 21 April, 2018


	15. ZERO: TWELVE

_Everybody has things_

 _They wish not to recall._

 _Into each life_

 _Some rain must fall._

 _Anonymous_ — _"Change What is to Come"_

* * *

 **A Measure of Darkness**

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." Reincarnation!OC

— Robert Frost, _Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening_

* * *

 **TWELVE**

 _ **A Measure of Darkness**_

 _This Impossible Task — Nothing Can be Explained_

* * *

Let it be known that it _is_ every bit as torturous as it was six years ago.

Even though I was at home, not in the hospital. Certainly not sitting next to my little brother Itachi.

He had long stopped playing with crossword puzzles and practicing calligraphy. Itachi twiddles his fingers while saying, "Sasukun, is it?"

"Yup."

"Sorry, Big Brother."

"Huh?"

"There is no good way to make Ryou's name adorable."

Kids have random minds. Geniuses, even more so.

"There is Ryou- _chan_ , which I will use," he continues. "That's all I can think of."

I think for a few seconds. "How about... Ryorin?"

Itachi makes a startled noise. Then smiles. "Amazing, Big Brother."

As torturous as this is, it's also really boring. When Kanka enters the waiting room and thumbs to the double doors behind her, Itachi and I can't move fast enough.

Our new baby brother is buddled up in a pink swallow. Mother is sleeping soundly after being in labor for almost a day, while Father, not wearing a uniform for once, is beckoning us to the newborn resting in a glass crib. Itachi gets to sit in his lap whereas I stand around the small box.

(Is it weird the crib reminds me so much of a coffin?)

"The baby looks so healthy!" I say, grinning. "Aren't you lucky to have Mother, eh, Father?"

He groans, but starts smiling before long. "Itachi, how do you feel?"

"No one will hurt the baby," he says, dead serious. "I'll protect the baby with my life."

Father laughs. "Good to see you're motivated. If you two wash your hands, you can touch—"

I use the Sterilization Technique to clean my hand and reach in the crib. My still tiny finger fits perfectly in Sasuke's grip—his strong grip actually. Even now, he's got strength. I'll have to perform the Ninshuu technique on him, as I did with Itachi. I wonder what his chakra feels like, before our clan's murder?

"Big Brother cheated."

"...sometimes I forget he's delivered children as well..."

Not technically. In my second year of clerkship rotations, I took an obstetrics and gynecology class. The OBGYN class was a core rotation critical to graduating. Because I'm so young, I never delivered but I was up close and personal.

"So cute," I gush, even though Sasuke looks more like an alien than Uchiha. "Sasuke is going to grow up and look so much like Mother!"

"Probably," says Father. "Not a single one of my children adopted brown hair..." Then I hear him pause. "We agreed on Sasuke if the baby was a girl?"

"Mh-mmm," Itachi hums enthusiastically, shaking his head. "This is _Ryou-chan_!"

"Um—this is a _boy_ , Itachan..." I stare down Sasuke's blanket, wondering if I should take it off and **confirm** this mystery once an for all.

"Oi vey, boy, you forgot how humans work?" is Kanka's voice as she leaves the room. "That baby is definitely female."

I watch her leave and look back to Sasu—this newborn holding onto my finger.

This is... a girl?

Mother gave birth to a girl?

How? I mean, genetics and junk... but I thought... is this child even born in the same month as Sasuke?

I feel like there's an intruder living in my house.

Ryou is still Sasuke, right? Just a girl now? No... no way. If Ryou and Naruto (if still born correctly) graduate at 12 together, there could _be_ no Sakura Haruno on the Team Seven. There would have to be a boy top student—which was Sasuke. I think Shino was number two, but coupled with the boy's less assertive skills than Sasuke, couldn't beat him trying. There would have to be the dead last boy, Naruto Uzumaki. But if Kushina and Minato live, would he still be dead last?

An Aburame, an Uzumaki, and Uchiha?

The new Legendary Three? Naruto and toads, Ryou and snakes, Shino with... slugs?

What the hell?

"Can we get a gender change," I ask. I am awarded with a hit on the head, courtesy of Father.

.:

I've lost sleep thinking about the future. Not even my first _or_ second life doing so.

In the end, Shino and Kiba couldn't be on Naruto's and... _Ryou_ 's team because each already has animal summons. Why would they learn anything else when their identity depends on their animals? And so the only candidate for the Legendary Three spot is between Sakura or Hinata.

I say Hinata, because if I can teach Ryou medical release and Sakura is still infatuated with the Uchiha, then Sakura **can** become amazing without Tsunade's help. It'll be her own strength. Then Hinata could probably learn Orochimaru's snakes.

Because:

A) Snakes are flexible and agile, similar to the Hyuuga themselves. They are perfect for close range combat, if Anko's wrists snakes are anything to write home about.

B) They can be tiny and great eavesdroppers, which only influences the accuracy of the Byakugan. So supreme vision and supreme hearing.

In short, Hinata would benefit the most from learning Orochimaru's skills, rather than Ryou learning them as canon. But Team Seven will not only have two girls, but two girls of rivaling clans and rivaling eyes.

Somehow Hinata has to meet Orochimaru, learn his snake-fu, and be the absolute best candidate to complete Team Seven... even with her general shyness.

(Hell, will Naruto even love her in this world?)

"Dammit, Ryou, if you could've been a Sasuke, we wouldn't be in this mess!" I pout at my sleeping sibling I've been assigned to watch. "It was a 50-50 shot! Maybe it was Father's fault..."

I decide to spend my free time searching for the snakeman, intending to find him before he defects. Which can happen at any moment, as he failed become the Fourth Hokage like he wanted. Which is just a slippery slope to kidnapping orphans.

At this point in time, the Snake Sage is known for his incredible intellect. He is the Hidden Leaf Village's Royal Scientist, but rather than pioneering a new world of technology, he uses his resources to gain understanding about the bodies of ninja. It's no secret the Leaf Hospital often gives him bodies to do autopsies and dissections on.

Orochimaru, however, isn't the kind of person who just roams the Leaf visibly. Many villagers admit they really only see him in the depths of night and at the apex of midnight shadows. He used to frequent the day world, up until Minato was nominated for Fourth Hokage. (At the same time, my own clan started feeling frustrated.)

First, I'll use my hospital connection to get to him. Then, I'll just roam the Leaf in night, in hopes of finding the creepy sage.

And so I blitz into the hospital and catch up with Nonou. Ever since my "infraction", she's been even more protective and worried about me being alone. Nonou is one of my supervisors whenever I actually get to do medic stuff.

"Sensei," I say after a greeting, "Honou Ike is still in the hospital, right?"

I took a week off to help Mother with the newborn. Typically, as I am the one who healed him and am allowed to practice under a watchful eye, I'm Honou's doctor. He'd been progressing well.

"Yes, but you didn't need to ask me that. The receptionist would have loved to help you."

I look around, making sure no nosy patients (gossip spreads in hospitals more than in hair salons) or medics are listening. "I need you to send in a summons for Orochimaru-sama."

Immediately, the color drains from her face. She averts her gaze as her eyes blink in a fury. "I-I don't understand. Honou is dead?"

"No, not all. But I could definitely benefit from the Sage's help. It's obvious no medic understands what I've done. I mean, I barely do myself. Maybe the Snake Sage will know?"

She _really_ looks like the act will cause her physical pain.

"Orochimaru-sama doesn't answer many summons as of late..." She pulls at her bushy hair. "I'll... see what I can do, Takenaka."

I bow. "Thanks, Sensei. You're incredible. I'll be in your debt."

Nonou has a troubled look on her face. "Please be very, very attentive to the rules."

I console her best I can. Yeah, malpractice is bad. Officially, I was reprimanded for stretching the flexibility of the Good Samaritan Law. Course, _no medical student_ has the authority to operate on patients without approval. But because it saved Honou Ike, because the hospital doesn't want to get rid of a genius, I'm not going to be punished harshly. (If a ninja considers having to fix 1,000 cases in five years while multitasking the Ninja Academy and residency training punishment.)

Not sure if I can get away with it a second or a third time, though.

As I'm about to leave, a familiar head of grey runs into me, clutching to my waist like a it's a lifeline.

"Big Brother!"

"Hey, Kabutan! What's up?"

The kid is up to my chin in height. Impressive, considering we're the same age, and all. Around his neck is an ever familiar lanyard I wore my freshman medical year. I grab his ID and can't stop smiling.

"I saved up enough money to attend school! Aki-aki helped a lot, too!" His cheeks are painted pink. "Ah, that's right! Big Brother, is it true you got in trouble a while ago?"

I feel sweat rolling down the side of my face. "Eh... yup. I kinda did."

"Ehhhh! Big Brother! You know you're never supposed to practice on patients!"

"I wasn't thinking... but, hey, remember when I said you can get in med school for free if you're really exceptional?" An enthusiastic bobbing of the head. "Well, I need a mini-assistant. Because I have to perform 1,000 miracles in five years."

Kabuto's eyes get even bigger. "Whaaaat! Is that your punishment?"

"Mm-hm. It makes since I wouldn't actually get fired. I'm supposed to be the next 'Tsunade-sama'"—air quotes—"and what good is it going to do anyone if the higher-ups ban a possible medical genius from medicine?"

—which ends up as a con. Like Yoshi said so many years ago, I can't escape the medical field unless the medical field wants me to go.

"That sounds difficult," Kabuto huffs, kicking the ground with puffy cheeks.

"It will be. But we can't give up. If we give up, I'll _definitely_ never be able to do it all, you know? What do you say? Become my assistant?"

Kabuto interlocks his pinkie finger around mine. We shake on it as we hold eye contact, only breaking into a relieved smile after our hands are separated and out in open, proving nobody crossed their fingers.

.:

I spend the next two weeks trying to roam the Leaf at night without much luck. While I can't further my plan, at least I can review and make sure this can't screw me over in the future.

After my last academy club meeting, I head to the Leaf Hospital. So far, since April began a month ago, I'd only been able to work on 10 solo cases. Nobody wants a kid as their doctor, much less an Uchiha. And so the only people I've gotten are people too incoherent to complain.

As usual, I check up on Honou Ike with a Yuami fart hovering around me, making stupid notes on his clipboard. The possibly Anbu man can sit upright in his bed, but walking leaves him too lightheaded. Core rebuilding is a slow process. Nobody's discovered any technique to heal the core. It's basically molded and directed chakra influencing raw chakra—like pouring brand name cough medicine into drug store medicine. I've been theorizing with what's been discovered, but chakra isn't studied too in-depth.

(Maybe it _was_ , but clans made sure secrets wouldn't get out.)

Honou, at first, recognized me as the medic who healed him that day, though it felt like a dream to him more than anything. He was genuinely baffled his nurses were adults and his primary doctor is a little kid. He gradually learned to respect me. Somewhat.

"Any pains? Chakra flare ups?" I say, routinely. The nurses monitor him 24/7, but not every person is okay with telling the nurses every detail.

Honou messes with his uneven beard that needs to be cut soon. "Sometimes. It's like in itch inside me I can't scratch."

"Thst would probably be the traces of contaminated chakra burning your normal chakra. Until your core repairs itself, its immune system can't do much against the contaminated chakra. We've got pain medication if it's too unbearable."

He looks at the IV stuck on the backside of his hand, frowning up. "I'm quite tired of things stabbing me."

Huh. How am I—?

"And, um, it's bugging me. Bugging me for a while. It makes me feel... I don't know—off... dirty..." Thinking, he clutches his stomach. "It's—I can feel _it_."

"It...?"

"Ice cubes in the sun," he blurts. "The feeling is like a heartbeat, okay? I know it's not mine. It's detached. But I can still feel it within me—my soul. I think it's your presence, doc. It's always the strongest whenever you're near..."

On the inside, I scream.

On the outside, I force myself to steady my breathing. But even though my heart still pounds up in my throat, I speak, "I understand. I feel a connection as well. The connection just functions as a backup until you're up and going."

Unlike me, he sighs with relief. "Oh, good. I thought I broke something, you know?"

He can feel _my chakra_. I know I can feel his—I'm completely used to it.

Does that mean whatever Ninshuu I did for Itachi... can _he_ feel my chakra, too? Can Obito?

Obito would've said something, though! Unless that hug knocked some sense out of him.

"Excuse me!"

The Yuami fart [I refuse to read the nametag of] interrupts my checkup with, "You're needed in the last office."

I reassure Honou and leave alone. The last office is just a "fancy" term for the old office never used anymore. It's on the first floor, closest to the dark laundry room. I crack open the door like I'd dreamed of doing and enter the dark room lit by a singular window. The curtains block and further obscure the sunlight trying to reach the room.

A cool wind slams the door shut.

In the dim sits a man in a black chair. His robes are nothing exceptional, just dark grays with a few, golden embellishments. I can pick up the smell of oil and strong cleaning products.

"You... of all the little medics in this village requested me?"

Like Yin Release itself—feminine, smooth, breathy.

My eyes, having adjusted, can see golden irises. It's not the glowing, cat-like color of Nahime, but a more subdued, hypnotic kind. So deeply golden that it seems inhuman. His face is everything like I'd imagine Voldemorts's face would be before watching the movies.

Is the skin he wears his own?

I'm impressed I'm face to face with the sage. Somehow Honou's case interested him. Even though he wants immortality to learn every technique. Oh, that could be why he's here—technically, I've done a technique unknown to ninja. Plus if he knows Honou was attacked by a Tailed Beast and survived, he'd be all the more interested in this case.

"Yes," I nod, lick my lips. "Somehow I saved a man that should have been dead ages ago. As you know, nobody should be able to live with so much core destruction."

"Yet the man lives," Orochimaru says in one exhale. "The amount of devastation caused to him could not have been done by a person. Only a supernatural force."

"...are you implying a Tailed Beast?" Seeing he doesn't get suspicious (only content), I add, "I thought so. It was all so typical of Boil Release, too. The primary affinity of Tailed Beasts. But... no person can survive a beast."

"Perhaps we'll have to reevaluate that. It seems it _is_ possible to survive, and simple enough for a child to perform. The answer is closer than you think."

When he stands, his body is lanky in way that does not make him awkward but reminds me of stretched out clothes. His body is all too relaxed, like it lacks bones.

My feet take a step back. "Are you sure? I don't even really understand what I did..."

"I'm well aware of that. Isn't that why you've summoned me? None of these stubborn fossils can even began to comprehend a world outside their own minds. Yes... we will figure out this mystery together..."

Only _now_ does a sense of danger hit me. Orochimaru can kill me easily. He can kidnap, torture, and experiment on me. He is _not_ the kind of man who should be mentoring Hinata Hyuuga of all people—Orochimaru is more than just a video game stat screen. He could corrupt the poor girl.

And yet...

Orochimaru, like any villain, prefers stupid and gullible henchmen. If they were smart, they just may overpower him. Hinata isn't stupid, but she is innocent and naive, which would make her a perfect goon for the sage. In that regard, her vulnerability makes it more likely Orochimaru could take her up as an apprentice.

But my job, currently, is to give Orochimaru an objective, an incentive to _not_ desert the Leaf for 12 more years, until the Rookie Nine all come of age.

"Thank you for helping me," I say, bowing. "This isn't something I can figure out on my own."

"Of course not," says he, sneering, pearly yellows glaring, "this is beyond your level. I will help you, but note I am a busy man. We will meet bimonthly, every first and fifteenth of the month. You'll receive more details. And, oh, _never_ tell a soul. You wouldn't want to upset a Snake Sage, hm?"

I nod. Truer words have not been spoken.

.:

At midnight, I open the hospital's doors. The facility is open everyday, all day. Though, certain sections are closed at certain times. The recreational hall is always shut down at eight, which houses kiddie rooms, storage closets, pediatricians' offices. It's dark, save for an emergency light. I keep my steps virtually soundless as I sneak through the corridor and up the stairs, further stepping into greenish, moldy-looking darkness. Up and up I go, open an old, rusty door, and cool air sweeps past me as the door parts open.

This floor used to be dedicated for Tsunade and Orochimaru. They were an impressive pair in the day, with their intimate understanding of human bodies and corpses. Orochimaru's talents were dissections and using the power of science. Tsunade took a more direct and simplistic approach: find source of disequilibrium in the body and eliminate it. They both lacked what the other had.

Their office stands before me, illuminated by the deep blue sky filled stars, empty and silent. I walk to the double doors with the clan emblems of the two and open them.

As expected, Orochimaru has lit the place up with barely functioning fluorescent lights. His fingers grip a scalpel way too affectionately as he sits on a blacktop table edge.

"Good evening," I bow, trying my best to get on his good side. There ain't nothing good being alone with a psycho. "Thank you for coming."

"I read the report." A manilla folder manifests in his pale hands. "Our Honou can sense your chakra now, can't he?"

"Yes... that's correct."

"So it would seem your chakra is still stuck in his body. Rather than decaying over time, it combined and stabilized with Honou's chakra."

"I suppose so..."

"What a powerful feat, indeed! The ability to detach your chakra into any person and have it remain for years! Most would need a transmission point or a complex Sealing Technique to do such a thing. Not you, little medic, all you need is a touch and concentration."

Sounds like a Curse Seal. Wait, Anko—I forgot. Orochimaru had already created Curse Seals by this point. But if I'm correct, Anko shouldn't be any older than 14 right now. He's in the wee early stages of creating his seal.

Hey! If I can somehow mess his mind and make him rewrite the Curse Seals, it's possible Team Seven won't have to deal with the demonic Sound Five.

"Right, but... we still don't know _how_ I did it. Just imagine having the ability to heal wounds created by Tailed Beasts?"

Orocimaru smiles. His eyes are like a starving beast. "Yes, I know."

.:

Eight years old. I'm not the youngest to graduate medical school, but I am the youngest valedictorian to graduate. Tsunade, in all her greatest, may have graduated med school at seven, but her extremely short-tempered and aggressive personality got her into plenty of arguments with patients and staff alike.

(If a ninja dare lie to the young princess about doing something even though the symptoms told the truth—if a ninja lied about performing chakra when he had chakra exhaustion, for example—she would insult the ninja, call him names, make him regret his bold lie. Patients would _hate_ her. Tsunade was the equivalent of Doctor House. Except less depressed and apathetic, and more " _passionate_ " about her patients.)

Ever since the war ended, less and less children are forced to graduate quickly. My graduating class is a wide mix of children from nine to 14, kids who had attended for four or five years, not only three like I did.

We're all wearing red robes with white sashes. All 500 of us. It's a chilly March day, which serves to keep all of our bodies herded together like sheep from burning up. The top 15 percent of the class take up the first rows, with me in the fourth seat, tied for first with three older classmates.

 _One graduation down and one to go._

It's Minato who stands on the stage and gives a speech at length. The crowd is mostly of Yuami and random civilians. Somewhere in the huddle is Mother and Itachi; Father didn't want to come. _The Police Force needs me_ , he said.

It's speech after speech from senior doctors and education staff. Even Marui speaks—the same Marui Shimura who winks at me. I spend most of my time divided between waking up classmates who had begun to sleep after a fun night yesterday and trying not to be affected by all the sniffles and sobs.

Then they're calling up our names, with Kanka handing out diplomas and Minato standing at her side, hand outstretched.

I take the paper as coarse as a Chakra Litmus paper. Kanka doesn't look excited. Just dead inside. It's definitely not the last time we'll meet each other. After all, I've already applied for residency training after my post-grad year.

Still... I can wipe off this stupid grin. It's a miracle I don't do something stupid like perform the Phoenix Sage Flower Technique for the fun of it. Would be so cool though—

Well, my giddiness is brief. As the my diploma burns into my grip, I'm well aware of my gait as I walk to Minato. My arm is up and ready to shake automatically. Crystal blue halos look unwavering at me, sparkling, smile etched in place, so perfect I can't tell if he's genuinely happy or faking.

His hand just about engulfs mine whole. And I thought my hands were calloused—his hands look outwardly perfect and scarless, but feels more coarse than my diploma. His grip is far, far stronger than mine. Not enough to break anything.

I almost forget to bow after we release.

Minato tells me "good job" just like every other person. I'm not important enough to him to get anything different. Maybe that's for the best right now.

No.

I _have_ to be different to him. Minato's just wise enough not to publicly play favorites.

After the graduation, my family (excluding the alpha male) celebrates with ice cream. Ice cream is really ironic with my family. What's a better treat for a hot-blooded family?

Itachi keeps patting Mother's stomach, hoping it'll pop like a grape and out will come Sasuke. Mother, content to rest her sore and swollen feet, doesn't mind. I try using a few techniques I learned in my OBGYN clerkship, and some more I asked the neonatal nurses.

Wherever Kushina is... Naruto should be born this year. This October. The moment of truth that decides if all my work actually means anything.

I feel like I could've done so much more. But what?

Even if the Nine Tails attacks, at the very least, I can still probably beat Itachi for Uchiha prodigy. I honestly don't know how to stop my clan's civil war. Maybe get Shisui to use...

He doesn't have the eyes.

 _No_. Itachi graduated at six... or seven? Regardless, he had already met Shisui who was a Genin. My Itachi wants to join the Academy when he turns six, wanting to catch up with his big brother rather than waiting until he turns seven. Shisui is already in the Academy. Not graduated.

"We haven't properly met yet," he says, beaming. "I'm Shisui Uchiha. I almost wanted to join the five-year-olds, but I'm glad I waited another year."

Why didn't I see this sooner?

Shisui should have graduated.

It isn't unheard of having children graduate in a year, provided it's during a time of war. Little care goes into making sure the kids are properly equipped.

It is a bit more special to see children graduating within a year after war. Itachi was the youngest child to do it, but there have been many graduates who had gone through a year of Academy.

Kakashi Hatake is the most notable and the youngest graduate in recent years. But I honestly don't know why the Leaf let him graduate. There was no active draft. He had to have been legendary.

 _Anyways_ , Shisui got his eyes from a mission. His jealousy made the irrational boy let his teammate die before him. Because he graduated before I attended the Academy. No dead teammate means no eyes meaning Shisui does **not have** Kotoamatsukami.

He won't try to hypnotize the Uchiha.

Danzou won't kill him.

Is that a good change? A bad one?

"Isn't this your graduation day? You look so conflicted," is Mother's whimsical tone.

I tell her very bluntly, "Life is complicated."

Whatever.

I'm no miracle worker. Not everything needs to be wrapped up in a silver bow.

Save my family. If not, beat Itachi. That's all I'll worry about.

.: **TWELVE END** :.

* * *

Sure it's fun to fix issues, but it's not fun to fix _everything_. Where's the conflict?

 **Reviews**

* Maybe he is giving too much away? I thought it'd be necessary considering how much Obito can eff up the plot. If he goes to Madara, he kills Minato and Kushina, which leads to the Uchiha Downfall, which leads to corrupting Itachi, Yagura, and the Akatsuki...

* I think that sort of idiocy is because Takenaka thinks he knows everything... about an outdated world. And so there's this weird gap where he's like _Here's what I saw canonically happen_! And what actually happens is something unique.

\- 8 May 2018


	16. NARUTO

**A Measure of Darkness**

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." Reincarnation!OC

— Robert Frost, _Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening_

* * *

 **THIRTEEN**

 _ **A Measure of Darkness**_

 _This Impossible Task — Expiration_

* * *

September goes by, the month when I can work out a reasonable schedule between training, my first year as medic, studying, and socializing. Clone Me sure puts a weight off my shoulder, but I'd really love to have three or four clones. But one will do.

No longer having to study 20 hours a week because of med school, I can devote so much more time for training myself. Taijutsu, ninjutsu, genjutsu, survival skills. The Legendary Children are attending a regular Year One classroom environment which is a nice change of the brisk learning from last year. Unlike normal students, class time isn't anything normal.

Officially, the Leaf can't offer special services for accelerated or slow students. The brand Legendary Children only applies for the Hokage and Jounin-sensei. _Obviously_ , the advanced children will get better teams and sensei when graduating versus the average crowd who'll likely repeat the Academy forever. The children will brag to other clans. The status makes clans feel stronger.

Unfortunately for us Legendary Children, lessons are way more boring.

So I've got an obscene amount of free time. I devote that time to training.

The first thing I train is my sense of smell. I've always had a funny feeling I had a good sense of smell growing up. But it's nowhere near an Inuzuka. Ken is glad to help me out, provided that I buy him ribs and steak later. We meet up in the park and run deep into the woods. We meaning Ken, me, and three ninja dogs he's babysitting.

"If I'm the bad ninja," Ken says, his fifth time editing the rules for my sake, "you have to find where I'm hiding and kill me."

"But I don't have any blunt shuriken," I say _again_.

"You don't use shuriken, moron!"

"How am I supposed to kill you, _O wise one_?"

"With a rock or straw, somethin!"

I grab a stone at my feet and toss it. It's an _okay_ shuriken. "Fine. _It's not how we play at the Academy_. I got it."

"Me and the dogs are gunna hide. You count to whatever makes you happy and find me."

" _Okay_."

To find him, I can only rely on smell. Ken makes it easy for me, covering his tracks with his own scent and having one of the dogs, Agaku, run in pond. His tracks reek of wet dog smell.

So I begin to sniff, grateful how light the breeze is today. I find the fudge-color puppy Koinu and the hot dog shaped puppy Maitai easy enough. Agaku takes me long with how generalized the aroma becomes. The hardest to find is Ken's, whose scent fades faster than the dogs—as strange as that sounds.

Until I find a strong, unnatural scent.

I'm following the scent with three puppies following along excitedly, despite not understanding what's happening. While I bend over to get a better scent, Agaku trips over Maitai's long body. All of them start barking—similar to a group of friends laughing at the stupidity of one guy in particular, who has just embarrassed himself. Especially if it's recorded.

I continue through the trail, seeing very slight indicators a person had been here: bent grass from heavy footstep, disturbed creatures whose nests lie close to ground surface, et cetera. The puppies don't care much for the smell. Fine by me. Keep them out of the way so I can focus.

The scent grows in intensity the longer I track it. My eyes are watering when I smell a large abundance of the scent all over a tree I'm standing in front of.

Ken is in this tree. All I have to do is climb up it and get him.

But I hear something unnatural. The puppies start yipping as I'm searching the greens above me. I know what this is.

Laughing. Pure joy at something funny. Considering how boring this environment is, the laughing has to be directed at me.

My face heats up as I finally see Ken rolling on his back as best as he can on a tree branch, clutching his stomach, as he is curled up with laughter.

"What's so funny?" The only thing I did "wrong" was take too long. Ken could find me almost immediately.

"Little boy genius," sputters he, "can even follow a scent! He fell for the piss trail!"

" _What_?" My blood is burning. "Stop lying. There was no ammonia smell to it! I've smelled it before!"

(But the smell of piss is nothing compared to the smell of pig and squid dissections.)

" _Duh_. Cuz I hid it! Would be obvious as crap if it smelled like piss from the get go." And Ken guffaws.

I can only sit crosslegged and wait for him to control himself. My glare doesn't really make him uncomfortable. No, it makes him laugh harder.

"How did you do it," I drill him, once he's quieter and wiping his wet cheeks.

"Inuzuka Clan secret, man! Not telling you!" Ken smirks victoriously.

"Oh really? I just think you're too lazy to actually teach me the trick." Ken only _hurumphs_ in reply. I look to my right, eye catching movement. It's only Maitai. Crapping. A watery, cupcake-frosting swirl crap.

"Whup, that ain't normal. Betcha she found greasy fried fish," Ken says, scratching the puppy behind the ear. "Oh, that smells! Maybe we can get Takenaka to follow that, too!"

My eye starts twitching with his new round of giggles.

.:

The stars glitter almost impossibly bright. With it being mid October, the night has a pleasant coolness to it, ruined with an occasional warm wind. My village is absolutely quiet, although yellow lights barely concealed by curtains interrupt the blues of night.

I haven't been up here in ages.

All is still. I can feel under my hands the silver of Itachi's chakra curled next to the melted gold of Ryou's chakra. They're fast asleep. My brother, not having nearly as much responsibility as he would, plays with Ryou until exhaustion whenever Mother pulls him away from training. (Pretty often. Way more than his "busy older brother", as she says.)

I'll admit, I've been neglecting them both. I've been so short-sighted in my pursuit to make sure the Fourth Hokage lives (so that _my_ family lives), I haven't been able to give much thought about them.

Itachi could've began Ninja Academy at five or six. He chose six, like me, and started this year. His January Ninja Academy Legendary Child Examination went off without a hitch—no Marui to complicate things. He, too, got the best stats as number one in physical and number one in academics. Itachi's score wasn't higher than mine but was enough to stomp the competition.

So now we both walk the same halls, learning. Both of us have a reputation for being prodigies.

"A-Are you Itachi- _sama_ 's big brother? I-I'm in his class and... please give this to him!"

"Itachi is so quiet compared to you. What went wrong?"

"You do understand your little brother beat you in book smarts, eh? Sucks to suck."

Itachi and his bright, innocent eyes always stare me down like I'm a godsend. He wants me to teach him, wants to worm his way into my group of friends. It's all so sweet... and all so nerve wracking.

What have I done to surpass him? I can't think of anything. So what if I mastered the Sharingan? I haven't learned any major technique—I need to practice my genjutsu. Maybe Sword Techniques as well? I really want to use a _katana_ someday.

"Ah, it's unusual for you to be up here, Takenaka. Is something wrong?"

Mother, the ninja she is, finds me. Though, I'm not really hiding. She leaps delicately onto the roof and parks a seat next to me. She still smells like the dinner we had tonight.

I realize I'm rippling my knuckles as I was thinking. "I need to train. Need to practice genjutsu."

"You're always training, you know. I don't understand. You've always gotten perfect grades, you're the number one student in class, you could have graduated last year." Her voice is like chewy chocolate chip cookies. "Is there someone out there you want to defeat?"

"Yes."

Mother hesitates, probably not anticipating a response. "Who?"

I breathe in through my nose and let my chest fill. "Itachan," I release.

"Eh? You can already defeat him. Besides, he's your brother. You need to help him, not discourage him."

"Itachan will become strong," I reply, feeling a tickle of silver in my peripheral sense. "He'll no doubt become stronger than me. I want him to be strong. And I know the world will want to do horrible things to those who are strong."

The gooey atmosphere sort of crumbles. Mother's body is less like honey, more stern. "Why would you say that? Do you really believe those words? Or is this some form of jealousy? That is not okay, Takenaka. Jealousy hurts."

"No, I mean it all. I'm not jealous—sometimes I'm envious more than anything. But I know for a fact there are power-hungry shinobi out there that will step on the broken bones of the fallen just to make their life better. I'd much rather take that sacrifice than allow someone else who doesn't need to sacrifice as much."

I guess this is what it's like when parents give up their lives for children. Adulting is crazy weird. Glad I only stayed 18. I couldn't handle the responsibility.

"Have you been talking to Karada," Mother asks after a lengthy silence.

"I haven't seen him. He said he would teach me once I was in the Academy..."

"He must be very busy. He even said he probably won't be able to teach Ryou in depth as he did for Itachi and you."

Strange. And Minato's words float in my head.

"I wonder if this is the end," I sigh.

"Mm?"

"I just get the feeling everything will end tonight."

"Are you... suicidal?"

I shake my head and refuse to look at her. "I'm not depressed at all. The world feels depressed."

Mother's cold, slightly sweaty hand sweeps up my bangs and presses my forehead. "No fever." The back of her hand meets my neck and head. "Would you like some tea? I made oolong."

If the Nine Tails attacks tonight, I don't want to barf up tea.

Mother stays outside trying to cheer me up, but housewife duties call. She vanishes into the house and I sit with my arms folded around my knees.

The air is plain. No Killing Intent. The Hokage Tower's light just clicked off a moment ago. The Police Force are occasionally visible near the Leaf's gates.

I feel antsy.

I jump off the roof and walk randomly around my home, committing as much as I can to memory.

I **hate feeling helpless**.

And then I stop once I track a scent of another human following. As if I didn't hear the footsteps completely off tempo with mine behind me. I can't ignore it any longer, so I face the person, who actually starts a bit in fright.

A girl, with a familiar face. An Uchiha girl. Her robe, red as the bricks behind her, reaches her knees—her _genu valgum_ , or knock knees. The joints are nearly touching while her sandaled feet are apart, toes curled. She holds on tight to her chest on instinct. Not a threat.

I stick my thumbs in my pockets and try to feign calmness despite this night. I walk up to the girl slowly and say, "You're not really good at following. Are you not a ninja?"

Her huge, doe eyes can rival Mother's. Her black hair is styled half up, two locks meeting in the middle of her hair, as if holding her mane in a tight hug.

"I don't want to," states she, voice calm and deep for a girl.

"Oh? That's rare. Everyone usually wants to, but some are forced not to."

Looking down briefly, she closes the distance I'd created. We're almost the same height, with her in the lead. "I've heard much about you. Youngest medic valedictorian, Ninja Academy valedictorian, the golden child..."

"Golden child? I can't say I've heard that one..."

"That's what all the adults say about you. 'Once in a few generations, there comes a talented child.' It sounds like you."

"Are you flattering me?" I rub under my nose, to hide my cheeks. "It's working."

"That's good. You seemed distracted and moody. I never took you for the one to brood."

This girl is weird. Kids my age don't talk like this. It's like she's been surrounded by middle-aged people all her life. Her body is so immaculate, it's like she hasn't done any difficult task in her life. And this _Takenaka-sama_ business is unusual.

"Have we met before?" I say.

"Yes. You were so young, so you wouldn't remember." She brings her gaze back up, looks imploring into my eyes. "Toko."

 _Toko..._

"Toko!"

The girl who's sole purpose of living is to become a good wife.

"I didn't forget you! I just didn't really recognize you. Are you okay? How's life going?"

"Lessons," says she, a curve tugging at lips trying to remain blank.

"Fun lessons?"

"Mm... sometimes."

Now I realize why I avoid people like Aki or Migaki. I can feel awkward silence forming.

"You know it's really late? What are you doing up, much less following after me?" I grin to ease the assumption.

"...a present. For your work. I know you work hard. And you're self-motivated. That takes so much effort." Toko digs inside her robe pocket and pulls out a small, leather box. She bows and hands it to me.

In the box is a superhero eyemask much like my purple one. Only this is made out of a more athletic, breathable fabric. Lightweight. Easy to unfasten. I take off my mask (the cool air tickles the sweat around my eyes) and place on the new mask. It's like a good pair of underwear making me feel like I'm going commando.

Thin, purple ribbons trail slightly. They flutter in the breeze.

 _Epic._

"You're a strange Uchiha, so I didn't know what to get. But I thought that your mask means you're some kind of protector, like the eye paint our ancestors wore to battle. I made the mask as best as I can."

I _know know know_ this is the Leaf and affection is kinda taboo, but in America, I was fine with hugging people who were awesome. And so I have to give her a one-arm hug. For me.

Toko's face matches her robes when I let go of her.

"Thanks! I don't really feel helpless anymore," I smile.

She nods and stares at my chest. "I—I have free time."

Once I escort her home, fatigue weighs me down. All my anxiety and fear is taking a toll. The night ticks on as if all is normal. But something should be wrong.

I get home and—Father. Father's home? But, shouldn't he be active? Making sure Kushina is safe during pregnancy?

I'm dreaming. I fall into my bed and see random scenes before I know it. Something particularly creepy throws open my eyes to see the early dawn at my window. The sounds of droplets, the muted sky. It had rained last night. All is normal.

I stay up late two weeks after. Nothing.

November arrives, no sign of the Fourth Hokage's son.

I just have to move on.

.:

"Who gave you that mask!"

I'm barely in my seat when Kaori slams her hands on my desk, generating enough wind to send her skirt fluttering. Oh, forgot to change masks.

"My relative," I offer, not entirely sure how close or distant we are.

" _Hmmmm._ " The Yamanaka isn't convinced. "Well! We've decided to take the graduation test early."

"Wh-What?"

"Enkou-sensei says he offers it in December," she continues. "Me, Shisui, Hakuya, and Ken are taking the test."

"That's—wow, good luck!" The fact these kids are taking initiative so young makes me more happy than I'd like to admit. "Wait... Waga and Migaki, what about them?"

"Waga doesn't want to be a ninja so young and Migaki's dead last, you know. That boy has _zeee-ro_ confidence." Kaori scoffs as if he's here.

If only the medic tried. The more interesting things happen at the hospital, the more Migaki breaks away from me. If this keeps up, he'll fade away just like Sumomo—

"Good luck," I mumble, startling Kaori, but not in the mood to care.

The test is held the afternoon before winter break. I have to wait at the Uchiha Senbei to escape the cold. Before long, my friends are barreling through the door, faces red from either excitement or cold.

"Are you happy, my prince? I _passed_!" Kaori leaps for me, snatches me up in a hug. It's strangely weird and nostalgic.

"I passed," Shisui adds, taking a seat. "I won't hug you for it, though."

Hakuya sits down, bugs crawling on his skin as if his body is too excited for them to stay put.

Ken drops into his chair and bares his fangs as he smirks. "Passed, too."

"Just barely," Kaori adds unnecessarily.

"I _still_ passed! That don't got nothin to do with nothin!"

Kaori rolls her eyes and releases me.

My cheeks are on fire from this smile that won't go away.

.:

"By saying 'Release!', it focuses the ninja's chakra long enough to disrupt itself," Enkou is telling us, through his long lecture. It's too bad we won't be able to do any physical genjutsu until tomorrow. (Our parents have to sign permission slips.) "This disruption is actually..."

As usual, Nahime's hand and my hand shoot up. I'm a bit faster, so I get called on. "The disruption temporarily swaps the chakra rotation."

"Yes. And are there other disruption types?"

Nahime gets to answer. "Some ninja can halt the chakra, which stills the chakra of the enemies so that they cannot continue to influence the ninja. It does not end the genjutsu."

 _Just had to go with the paragraph..._ I look directly at Enkou without looking away, it's somewhat impolite, but it has a habit of making people shut up due to how self-conscious they get. "Basically anything can be a disruption so long as the chakra in the body is perceived by the nervous system in a different way. Which is why something like pain, to those who are sensitive, can be a better disruption than chakra. Other times, a ninja's teammates can send a burst of chakra to whatever closest nerve and the nervous system disrupts itself from the abundancy of foreign chakra."

Nahime stares me down. As soon as I have to breathe, she's bursting in, "Chakra hates foreign chakra much like a body hates foreign bacteria. Any delay means the chakra can detect the foreign chakra and start to eliminate it, meaning that the longer the disruption, the more chakra will be destroyed, thus rendering the genjutsu less effective or completely cancelled."

I can go on all day. It beats me why little miss princess has to always out do me when it comes to books.

"The more advanced genjutsu attacks different parts of the body simultaneously, creating fail safes that can defeat even the most powerful disruptions," I chime in. "And then, the body must attack all those points, thus making the chakra defense weaker and enables the genjutsu to last longer without significant damage."

"Those types of genujutsu are impervious to pain and chakra bursts from teammates," Nahime adds, eyes narrowing.

"And you think your delay technique will as well?" I say, fake smiling.

"Children, I am glad you are enthusiastic, but I will not be able to teach anything to the class!" Enkou claps his hands to get our attention. As the silence stretches, as we realize what just happened, 28 other faces are staring at us, awed.

I'm actually standing now. With a small chuckle, I take my seat in the back row.

Genjutsu... Itachi's mastery. How'd he get so good at it? I'm a little jealous. How can stop his genjutsu if I ever fought him?

"Those types of genujutsu are impervious to pain and chakra bursts from teammates."

Advanced genjutsu can withstand a disruption because it attacks so many places. It's hard enough to control chakra outside the body. So to control different versions of that chakra simultaneously is insane.

That's why so few people care for learning genjutsu. Too complicated and sparsely used correctly.

My brother's silvery chakra touches my senses. I see his class outside, preparing for their kunai throwing lessons. I smile a bit.

 _Oh Pain_.

My chakra is stuck in his body, in Honou's, Ryou's, Obito's—my chakra doesn't decay in the body. If that's the case... could I use it to my advantage for genjutsu?

When I get home that night, I meditate. I want to concentrate on my own chakra before using Ninshuu.

The way of interconnection.

Somehow, chakra connects everything animate and inanimate thing, up until the birth of weaponized Ninshuu: ninjutsu. Ninshuu somehow made it to where I can't produce Fire Release myself, but must absorb it from the surrounding environment. It's like Ninshuu lacks that spark of life ninjutsu has.

Can I actually combine Ninshuu concepts and genjutsu?

Typically in a genjutsu, a user molds and directs their chakra to fulfill a certain purpose. They propel it outwards and, with a minor delay usually too imperceptible to most, collides and enters the target's chakra system. It immediately goes for the _tenketsu_ near major nerves. The user's chakra then takes over the ninja's perception from the inside out. Because it's almost impossible to train to defeat the inside of the ninja's self.

But that chakra is treated as foreign and is immediately broken down as soon as the body can react. My chakra doesn't do that. It stays and balances in the body, even connects a piece of myself to them.

I have to try. I have to **know**.

Kaori is an eager test subject. She tries to sit on the log (smoothing out her turquoise scarf and adjusting her iron mesh leggings) and keep her excitement down.

"Ready?" I say and Kaori twirls her pigtails around her fingers. "I'm only doing the genjutsu we learned in class."

"Just don't make it really scary, Takenaka," she replies, trying to sound brave.

"I don't want to hurt you." With Snake and Horse, I direct my chakra to give Kaori visions of black spiders crawling on the log, black and furry bodies as dark as their tiny shadows. Creeped out myself, I cast the technique. "Demonic Illustration: Hallucination."

Kaori blinks. "I feel it. What'd you do, Takenaka?"

...so subtly, I can feel her chakra in the air, somewhere tickling my consciousness.

But I'm more concerned about the spiders scuttling on the log next to her.

They are almost ghost-like. They move awkwardly the more I watch, like a six-year-old drawing a dog despite the fact the kid has never seen one in public.

" _Aaiyeee_! _Release, Release, Releeease_!"

Kaori makes the seal and I feel the hiccup her chakra makes, but... the technique still continues.

"Ta-Takenaka! I thought you said you were doing the technique Sensei taught us!" Kaori leaps off the log and runs to me.

"I-I did."

"Why didn't it stop? I did it right! ...ri-right?"

"Uh..."

My chakra is separate from me. Unlike a Shadow Clone, I don't have to resupply it.

I test it out a few more times. Somehow, I can transmit the genjutsu, but I get to see whatever illusions I force others to see. They can't break out of it until _I_ disrupt my own chakra. Then the illusion desolves and I can cancel the technique, receiving all of my chakra.

Needless to say, I am fascinated.

I can cast any basic illusion as an unbreakable genjutsu... if I also experience the illusion with the target. If I can create anything similar to Tsukuyomi, I will be tortured just like my victim.

Safe to say that violent, painful illusions are out of the question. But it is insanely helpful to be able to cast minor illusions that can't be broken.

Though if I cast one in combat, what if I'm convinced by illusion as well? And if I ever fought against Mune, he can use his Byakugan to see through the illusion whereas I'll still be trapped and at his mercy. Heck, probably any decent chakra sensor can avoid my illusion whereas I can't do a thing.

The only thing I can do it practice. Practice for nearly every contingency so that I know exactly what to expect in battle.

I head down to the book store for the best genjutsu pulp fiction and scour the Academy's library for any genjutsu textbooks. Clone Me becomes my training dummy once again as I try to figure out exactly what this means using Nishuu's interconnection with the illusions of genjutsu. I'll probably never reach Itachi's expertise, but maybe I don't _have to_.

.:

This silence is something I can't break. The ringing in my ears makes me sick, so I tap the metal tray a bit louder with my scalpel, let the echo dance in the air before the silence returns.

Finally, I burst. "Do you know anything about genjutsu, Orochimaru-sama?"

The Snake Sage gazes at me, face partially obscured by the plastic face visor. "I know more than all the knowledge you've acquired in a lifetime."

 _Wow, so happy for you._ "I... I use my chakra's... cohesion to transmit genjutsu. It's... really strange. The genjutsu can't be broken, even if it's pathetically basic."

One eyebrow rises as I speak. "Ah, I can only speculate. It sounds to me your chakra works as a flawless seal. If a skilled Sealing Technique user placed a seal on their _victim_... it is impossible to break the corresponding genjutsu."

A seal, huh? Something tells me Ninshuu and Sealing Techniques are way too similar.

So if Jiraiya stuck a seal on me to make me see an illusion of a creepy clown, once he casts the illusion connected to the seal, basically I can't escape the illusion no matter what because there is a seal.

"You sure know a lot about this stuff," I say, flattering him first. "Is it from Jiraiya-sama?"

The man's eyes drift back down to the corpse between us. He was an old, old man I had created a chakra-based pacemaker for, a standard procedure. He died, though by examining the wounds, it's almost as if someone killed him as quickly as possible, as if to just make him a corpse already.

"You could say it is a hobby. In fact, I am working on a unique little seal as of now. It takes the body's chakra and turns the spiritual and physical energies into pure Yin-Yang Release."

"Yin-Yang Release... the element of creation?"

" _Yes_." He sounds giddy. "I can create a myriad of shinobi with access to power always dreamed of. You may even compare it to those Akimichi Food Pills, though my craft is far more useful."

I understand. I don't fully get the Curse Seal's purpose, but I understand.

"But that sounds like you're forcing the chakra to change," I say slowly, ducking my head like a sad puppy, so the man doesn't think I'm being insubordinate. "That'll have consequences."

"It's only a mere hobby. But I would love to hear how _you_ would create this?"

It's not a request.

I lick my lips. My hands feel so cold inside these gloves.

"I don't know enough about the topic. I just think that if the chakra is used without the body's intention, there will be adverse effects. The Chakra Hypochondriac Syndrome thrives off that. Just a person who thinks their chakra has a mind of its own and the chakra's owner can't stop it. They believe this delusion until their body sees the chakra as a foreign energy and starts to eliminate the chakra. The person suffers from fatal chakra exhaustion eventually. Thus it kills itself."

(It's like a horrible version of AIDS.)

"You say that as if there is no cure," the Snake Sage replies, the only thing I didn't expect for him to respond with.

"Nobody's really researching it. I mean... without Tsunade-sama, we're only curing epidemics. That syndrome is way too rare for anyone to consider working on it."

"Is that so? Well... I cannot say I am pleased with the little medic telling me my seal will always kill my targets. However, if I can prevent the chakra from killing itself, can you not say my seal is significant? I give to shinobi power fueled by their chakra and bodies who can live lifetimes with seal."

...maybe I should've just shut up.

I nod.

"Would you work together with me in curing this syndrome?" His smile should be friendly, but it drips with deception. His hand outstretched for me.

I... step back.

"I'm sorry. I'm too, too busy. School, the Hospital, leading my clan. I don't think I can take this on as well."

His hand falls to his side. I swear the room drops a few degrees.

"Of course. I understand completely."

We both know this matter isn't over.

.:

As I learned with Marui all those years ago, the graduation exam is both a written and practical test. The written is way too easy. I sleep for the remainder of the 30 minutes and then we're carted away and divided into 10 lines. Like an audition, we wait to enter the room.

When I'm called, I get to see the room: an ultra normal classroom. Except the teacher's desk is replaced by a long table where Enkou sits.

He nods to me and brushes blonde hair off his coat. "I will say the name of a random E-Rank, Ninja Academy Technique. Perform it to the best of your ability. A Genin must display competency within these techniques or the way of a ninja is impossible. Are there any questions?"

I hunch up my shoulders before saying no.

"Let us proceed. Your technique is..." Enkou claps and a scroll bursts to life in his hands. Tiny, too, no bigger than his pinky finger. He unravels it and reads. "Your technique is to perform _Rope Escape Technique_."

Oooh, good one. Very useful for escaping being tied up. Though most ninja either use kunai or accept being captured and kill themselves. One of the Shinobi Rules has it to where a ninja should suicide if captured. (Like the Old Testament, no one takes it seriously.)

Enkou ties a seriously thick and heavy rope around me. He could just throw me on train tracks with how well trapped I am. I fall to the floor and Enkou tells me to begin.

To escape, I have to find the weakest point in the rope and push chakra to it, weakening it further. Since I'm no Hyuuga, I have to find every weak point and break it separately. Once done, it's easy to stand up and tear through the ropes like I'm a giant, green beast.

"Congratulations, you have passed Takenaka Uchiha," Enkou tells me, smiling.

"Awesome." I brush off stray wire hairs. "My score?"

"100 percent on the practical, 96 on the written exam. Your score of 98 out of 100 makes it the third best score in history."

"Damn," I huff. "It's probably the math."

"E-Eh? Most children get 70s or 60s! You should be very proud! No ninja has scored perfectly! The Fourth Hokage-sama scored a 98 and Orochimaru-sama scored a 99!"

I try to calm him down. "Sorry, sorry. Thank you."

I still leave the room not that satisfied. And the sun is setting. But in my hands is my new forehead protector. How it smells like a new book.

 _Where shall I tie you?_

I roam the empty, sunset dyed halls in thought when I catch movement out the corner of my eyes. More alert, I sense a person's presence. It can't be an intruder—the Fourth Hokage has this placed hooked up with renewed protection seals.

A classroom door is open. Weird. In it, I can see a man sitting in a desk, front row and near the window. He is placed mostly in the shadows. Can't make out a face.

"Hello, Takenaka," says he.

Not good. But if he made it through the seals...

"Are you supposed to be here?" I begin, stepping cautiously inside. I should've use my new graduation coupons to buy ninja equipment before today.

"I know so much about you, boy."

I suck at voices. My instincts are telling me I should know him. I step into the room cautiously, trying to make a human out of a shadowy blur.

"Your secret missions, your unrecorded hospital stays, the _eyes_."

Not good.

"How," is the only thing I can say.

"You are an interesting Uchiha. So unlike the ego-blind Uchiha, but not so dissimilar. You, as well, are the sweetest fruit from that clan. You may be less than a decade old, however your mind is accelerated. You may not understand because you've grown up in this way."

I can't respond. I see the old, gaunt face of an elderly man, with one dark eye observing me. The other eye is covered in bandages with a deep shadow where the eye is. _Should be_.

"Honestly, you are smart, but you work with that callous snake. He intends to use you to further his own plans. He does not care about you, he has never cared about any other person."

"But what do you want?"

The black silhouettes bleeding from the desk start to inch toward my toes.

"What I want? The best for the Hidden Leaf Village. You are in a powerful position, and you do not comprehend that fact. You will be the future leader of the Uchiha Clan. You will have every right to control your clan and make them become more preferable villagers for the prosperity of us all."

He wants me to mold my family into something he approves of. "I don't want to become the type of leader that controls."

" _All_ leaders control, boy. It matters in the effectiveness between great and poor leaders. As well as power. You know of the Mangekyou Sharingan, hm?"

( _How do you know_? I remember the secret surveillance and Root double agents Danzou had in the Uchiha Clan in canon.)

"Powers rivaling the great Madara Uchiha are contained in that eye. The only cost is to see someone beloved to you die. Seeing as you're one of the more... extroverted Uchiha, you have a wide selection of choices. It can be Shisui or Obito... perhaps even Itachi."

 _Like I'm just shopping and picking up milk_.

"I will never do that," I tell him, planning to escape once the shadows reach my knees.

"Perhaps your two hands will not," says he, rising, a humanoid shadow, "but reality may complicate things further. Work with me, Takenaka. I only want to make my village happy, and I know for a fact the Uchiha Clan is hated and persecuted. You want to end that hatred somehow, yes?"

"Thanks, but I don't think I need your help."

I get to door when the man shouts behind me, "You cannot hide, Takenaka. If you don't take this opportunity, I'm positive someone else will. Perhaps Itachi would agree quickly."

 _Bam!_ is my palm smacking flat onto the door frame. "Do not touch my brother. Not even my sister. If you _ever_ want to use an Uchiha in your schemes, you will always chose me. No matter what you say, I will be the only Uchiha to do it."

Those words are all so wrong. He even lets out a small chuckle. "Loyalty. What a rarity. If you do want those eyes, I suggest killing those closest to you by blood. A ninja cannot blackmail you if you have nobody left you love."

I have to leave at point.

What was that " _I will be the only Uchiha to do it_ " nonsense? It's like I'm begging Danzou Shimura to screw me over.

.:

My second graduation is so identical to my first, except I actually have familiar faces graduating with me. We graduate at eight. Nothing remarkable by any means, but nothing horrible.

Once again I'm collecting my diploma, oh-so smooth, take a picture with Enkou-sensei, and bound across the stage to the Fourth Hokage past his expiration date. October of last year, Minato Namikaze should have died.

The golden man is grinning. A bit uncontrollably. His smile is higher than normal. He almost forgets to say "good job" to me. His hand shakes mine too enthusiastically.

Bizarre.

But we're all graduated within two hours. 240 students are split between eight classes. Three students of every class is assigned to a Jounin-sensei.

Unlike Itachi, I have graduates of my age and class, so I shouldn't get a group of 12 year-olds. Praying for Minato to be competent with creating teams.

Tomorrow, I'll go back to the Academy for team assignments. Tonight, after party. It's actually more like a small family gathering, but along the walk through the Uchiha Compound to home, I get congratulations from many Uchiha, and small, cheap gifts.

Everyone but me is inside. It's supposed to be a surprise party that's not actually a surprise. I can already sense Itachi and Ryou and—and a brighter Ryou? No...

No.

I abandon my composure to throw the door open. My eyes search, barely notice all the people speaking, the food, presents.

A gift in hand. A goofy grin. Face still a bit scarred, not overly so. Content. Happy. Not insane.

We make eye contact. Something froze my body. A pain bursts to life in my head, bursts into my eyes. Sharingan? I mastered that. It shouldn't be switched on.

"H-Hey," he says, "don't cry... You'll make me cry, too."

But this body is only half as old as my former body. It's not used to containing so much emotion. So it escapes as hot tears and my body goes weak, putting its all into crying. I can feel the pain in my knees from the fall but don't care. My hands are trying to wipe away tears. They just keep falling.

Then the warmth gets closer until it's actually body warmth I feel. His heart is beating as hard as mine.

"Wh-Wh-What did I tell you...!" He's crying.

I hug him.

You're safe, you're safe, you're safe. My family, my home, safe safe safe "...safe, safe..."

"What a-are you talking about? Of course you're safe, dummy!" A disgusting sniff that makes me laugh.

I'm a bit embarrassed to continue the party after crying like that. Mother washes off my face and I put on new clothes, but despite everyone not judging, I still feel, I don't know, wounded for showing them that.

Them includes my family.

Them includes Minato (a clone, anyway) and Kushina (who's not actually supposed to be here, but Minato decided to 'indulge me").

For once in my life, I'm not fascinated by Itachi.

"—I was free falling without any chakra, Big Brother!" I say. "It should've been scary, but I wasn't really conscious."

"That's nothing," Obito grins. "One time I fell through a building..."

Obito Uchiha lacks his entire right arm. I realize that I didn't have to chop it all off, but the me in a fit of hysteria didn't want a repeat of Madara recreating his arm. At least if things went wrong, it might have taken longer. But my moment of fear lead to the end of his shinobi career. Field missions, at least. He can no longer perform techniques or use weapons as before. No complete arm prosthetics has been made. Obito is wearing a civilian uniform—the high collar shirt of an Uchiha, _monpe_ , iron mesh socks—and still proudly wears his forehead protector.

For months, he had been in secluded due to mental instability. He couldn't take it well knowing that his dream to become Hokage was ruined. A Hokage is the strongest person in the village and he couldn't perform simple ninjutsu. Plus, I had a hand in his brief insanity. _I_ was the one murdered ninja for his protection, who broke his idea of me being an innocent boy. _I_ was kidnapped and tortured and he had to save me, see me in my darkest moments. Rin was wounded because Team Minato had to split up.

Obito wasn't okay.

But if nobody died, he doesn't have Mangekyou. That's... okay.

Kushina is a bit more tight-lipped. Minato said she had been concealed for a long time. She even complains about it while we eat. She never says why, not even where, and doesn't bring up the past except for some Leaf gossip.

But I know for a fact that woman had been pregnant. There are so many lingering signs from her bigger breasts to a unique smell about her, it's crazy. She doesn't mention a child, so I say nothing. (It's so obvious.)

"Congratulations, Takenaka," Kushina says, smiling. I missed her violet eyes, so wide and sparkling. She's such a beautiful woman and has a killer personality (both calm and angry). "I knew I could count on you, kid."

I'm bobbing my head up and down. "Thank you for believing in me. I'm so glad you're safe, Kushina."

She grins back, in her boyish, inelegant way.

With the younger kids asleep, the men speaking privately, I intercept Kushina before she can return to her man, smiling widely. "You know I'm a medic."

For a fraction of a second, her hand twitches in the direction of her stomach hiding under a pink blouse. "Um, yeah, silly. I know what's up."

"Well... is it a boy or a girl?"

Kushina relaxes, huffs, groans, and smiles to herself as if thinking _Did I really think I was going to trick him?_ "It's a boy."

I feel like a giddy schoolgirl. "Oh, his name? What's he like? How old is he? Will he be in Ryourin's class, hmm?"

"Oi, now I get how other people feel." Kushina smiles tiredly. "He's my little Naruto, with hair as bright as his father's and a temper just like mine. I hope Naruto and Ryou become great friends one day. Perhaps we'll close a crevice that way..."

She trails off and watches Mother, who stands at Father's side, being a model Uchiha housewife.

And then the fillers pour into my mind, the housewife Kushina. Domesticated. Her fire now gentle embers.

"You don't have be like Mother," I say quietly. "You're not her. You won't ever be her. Didn't Hokage-sama fall in love with a hot pepper? I don't want you to just become a complacent housewife."

Kushina blinks at me. "Eh? What're you saying?"

"That you're so energetic, you don't deserve to be a housewife! It's not bad being one, but it's like hiring a chef to drive a boat. It's partially because of you that I'm teaching Itachan Sealing Techniques. Weren't all Uzumaki great at it?"

A rosy tint appears on her face, but the woman isn't submissive. "Thanks, but... I'm not really worried about that junk. I'm just worried about being a mom. I don't have much experience, so..." She tries to sweep away the depressing sentence with a chuckle.

"I believe in you," I tell her.

She nods once.

With a pop of Minato's clone and Kushina using the Transformation Technique to blend in as an Uchiha (and Mother walks her through the compound), I exhale. I just needed to feel that sweet sensation of the pressure the built up air makes. The rush when my lungs release it all. It's midly addicting.

"Takenaka."

Can't rest for long. Father clamps his hands on my shoulders and stares at me. He's still frowning, though it's not boring into my soul. A gentle frown. "Now that you've become a Genin, you will be expected to uphold the honor of the Uchiha name. Everything you do reflects back on me. Understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"You are still very young. Clan leader training always begins at 12. You have three or four years until that time comes. Make the most of your freedom now."

"Yes, sir."

"As Genin, you will able to attend clan meetings. These are drastically different from the Keep the Peace meetings."

Oh, I hadn't done those since the war nearly three years ago. Time flies. I just got so busy...

"But do not assume as my child I will provide you benefits. It is more honorable to sit with your people as one and work your way up to my position."

"Yes, sir."

I really, really want to see a meeting.

Father pats my shoulder. It hurts a bit, but it's the most loving thing he's ever done. I feel special in that moment.

I'm so glad nobody's dead. The only real worry is probably Pain coming to massacre the Leaf in sixteen years, but that can wait for now.

Because tonight, I'm sleeping good.

.: **THIRTEEN END** :.

* * *

We have approached canon. Thank you for riding flight _A Measure of Darkness_. Thank you for the warm response.

- **static-**

Reviews (thank you, small or superduper long)

* **Beyogi** : Such a cool interpretation! The disjointed scenes are, more often than not, intentional. It would be a lie to say Takenaka is sane, because he's seen some crap and though he may not seem affected, the trauma adds up. He's been through war, through Kanabi, through death. That's got to affect him. Also those punishments? He likes to think of them as a necessary evil - it beats failing to be strong enough to protect his family.

* **Kenshin135** : Exactly my point as to why Sasuke is a girl! It's simple, but Takenaka doesn't like it when things don't go according to plan.

\- 17 May 2018


	17. ZERO

**A Measure of Darkness**

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." Reincarnation!OC

— Robert Frost, _Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening_

* * *

 **ZERO**

 _ **A Measure of Darkness**_

 _Genin Takenaka Uchiha: The Bell Test_

* * *

What would be a morning I expected to get alone with Father is soon interrupted. I haven't even step foot into the grass before I hear a quiet, "I want to practice too."

Itachi stands at the backdoor, hair still disheveled from sleep, his collar bent, his trouser legs uneven. He'd been growing his hair out long, like Mother, whom he was so often compared to. Meanwhile, I keep my hair short—it just seems like too much maintenance to wear it otherwise.

"Your last day of school was yesterday," I say mildly. "You're supposed to be sleeping in, Itachan. You've got a whole new year of Academy next month."

"I'm not strong like Big Brother," replies he, a little fire in his tone. "I want to graduate this year, so..."

"Absolutely not."

I poke his nose when he starts to interrupt me. He clutches the tiny piece of cartilage and doesn't talk. He hates the sound of a nasally voice, the goober.

Sorry, Itachi. Big Brother Takenaka can't let you do that.

Two children graduating in two years? Everyone will leap on us in seconds. It's not much better keeping Itachi in the Academy where he'll just be bored or dominate everyone else, but nobody can force him into any ninja route while he's a full-time student. I just hope Danzou won't pull too many strings to get his way.

"Your job is to stay in the Academy for all five years." Itachi's eyes bug out of his head. "You're graduating with twelve-year-olds. You're getting the proper experience."

"Why, Big Brother? _You_ graduated in two years."

I thumb to my chest, slap on a smile. "I'm the clan leader after Father. I'm supposed to protect my family, that's my right. You know the honor ninja have to abide by. I'm not telling you to slack off or stop training. I'm telling you to forget becoming a ninja so young. The world's dark. You don't need to see it yet, Itachi."

My little brother is silent for a minute. We can both hear Father moving around inside, just small tell-tales of wood groaning. Itachi's shoulders drop. His eyes are still pleading.

"I don't want to always be protected. I have people to protect, too..."

"Your time will come when you're of age. It doesn't make sense, but... my time is now. Yours is in the future." I crouch down so that we're eye to eye now. "You don't understand, Itachi. You _will_ be stronger than me by the time we are both ninja. So..." I wink. "Let's let Big Brother Takenaka pretend he's the man of the house, okay?"

"The only man here is me," chirps in Father, appearing behind Itachi.

I grin at him. "Well, whenever Father's not here, I am!"

Itachi just looks between us before staring at the floor with a "Please excuse me!" and runs away.

"Takenaka," Father says, stripped of his good mood. "What did you do?"

Itachi isn't overly emotional. So he's definitely worried. "He's trying his hardest to be just like me," I reply. "I can't let that happen. He's not Takenaka Uchiha, he's Itachi Uchiha. He won't grow if he's following my shadow."

"Why not? You're a model of a ninja already. Itachi should do everything he can to emulate you. It will be great for the clan, as well."

 _I can see Sasuke hurting himself just to meet your standards._

"He doesn't need to be me to be successful. Just existing as he is, he'll be better than me one day." All this brooding is becoming annoying. I clap my hands together. "Let's exercise! It's our first one since I'm a ninja!"

Our exercise consists of stretching, an hour run, and a brief spar without using chakra. Considering how I'm a Genin and Father is a Jounin, he never breaks a sweat during the spars. Frustrating. But cool. After that is a quick wash-up and breakfast before I'm on my way. Now legal, I take the rooftops to my last day at the Ninja Academy.

Deja vu hits me hard as I wait for team assignments. Enkou is up to Team Nine and still hasn't called for me.

 _Please, Minato, tell me you didn't screw this up._

Me, Shisui, Ken, Kaori, Hakuya, _and_ Mune _and_ Nahime graduated. Shisui kept his word and tied his protector on his head, Hakuya chose a bandanna, Ken wrapped his on his arm, Kaori keeps hers as a belt, and Nahime wears her as a tiara-like _thing_.

I... still don't know what to do this.

If it's on my head, it gets in the way of my eye mask. On my wrists make me feel awkward, on my thigh conflicts with my ninja pouch, a belt is a little too Rock Lee for me.

Why is _this_ so troublesome?

"Kaori Yamanaka," Enkou calls.

Kaori grips my arm tightly, pressing her nails into the skin.

"Ken Inuzuka..."

Kaori blanches; Ken takes one look at her and groans deeply. Alright, Minato does not seem like he's very competent.

"And Mune Hyuuga."

Kaori freezes up. In that instant, her dreams shatters.

"I'm not on a team with Takenaka," she mumbles, voice empty. "It's... it's all Nahime's fault for graduating. She just couldn't have waited, huh? Had follow my lead..."

Her fingers twist around my arm like a choke hold. I start to lean to Shisui, to get him to help me.

"—Uchiha," I hear Enkou call belatedly.

I rephrase my question. "What'd he say?"

"You," Shisui responds.

Enkou frowns up at his paper, reads more closely. "Ah... Shisui Uchiha, and Nahime Mino."

Shisui and I trade a dumbfounded look. Top ninja and kunoichi and a fifth place student? Two Uchiha on one team? Very, very unorthodox... but not unwelcome.

That leaves Hakuya with an older team—Team 15. He looks at me and bows his head slightly. "Fate has me moving separate from you, so perhaps I can learn to defeat you another way."

"...keep in contact," I say after hesitating. "We're friends, first and foremost."

Hakuya silently walks away.

We separate to our teachers. Team 10 and Team 11, the six of us, remain behind as we wait.

The little Yamanaka is punching her desk, messing up her stylish, turquoise outfit. "Unbelievable! What am I supposed to do with dog boy and blank stare over here?"

"Calm down," Mune interrupts, breaking his silence. Mune is like a wall. His posture is as graceful as Nahime's and mine, but it lacks any real warmth. His clothes, gloves, socks, and boots hide as much skin as possible. His hair is still long, but now braided.

"Obviously the teams are made with a function in mind. I clearly posses the Byakugan's abilites, you have your Yamanaka _hiden_ , and the Inuzuka has his animal."

"Heck yeah, picking up my baby today, as a graduation present!" Ken shouts.

"But don't you need to bond with the dog before being a ninja?" I say, trying to recall Kiba's past, but he _was_ the heir of the Inuzuka Clan.

Confirming my theory, Ken says, "You know how expensive those dogs're? I'm takin out a loan and using my mission money to pay for him, yunno!"

"Just kill me now," Kaori whines.

"Team 11."

There's a quiet, strong voice behind us. Trading a look, Shisui and I turn and see it's just Nahime.

"Change of plans. Our teacher expects to meet us at Ren's Tea."

Ren's Tea is in the quieter, hippy side of the Leaf Village. It's next door to eco-friendly stores and retired shinobi. Cost of living is high here, as evident by the super overpriced tea and water.

"5000 ryo for a small cup of oolong tea," I repeat. "I can buy a week's worth of tea with that much."

"It's probably really well made," but Shisui clearly doesn't believe that lie.

The tea shop is lavender and white and covered with the girliest floral designs and arrangements. The teacups look identical to my friend's sister's princess teacups. What kind of teacher would force us to come here of all places?

"Are you _sure_ we're at the right place?" I say to Nahime, only getting an annoyed eye roll in response. "I don't really take you as the pranking type, you know..."

As I speak, a tall trench coat figure takes a seat next to me. I trade a glance with Shisui, who interrupts it to focus on Nahime. His good guy nature has him trying to make Nahime feel welcomed. And despite her hatred, she's not acting like a complete jerk.

"One cup of hot water. That will suffice."

The waitress inclines her head and enters the kitchen. It smells nice (even if everything is pricey). But I can't enjoy it for long. I feel eyes watching me.

It's the trench coat figure. Only, making eye contact, I see the figure is a ninja by the forehead protector sewn onto her hood, and a girl with the feminine curves of her face and chest. A small portion of said chest is revealed from the unbuttoned buttons near the top of her coat.

A black side-swept bang more dark gray than anything covers her face in more shadows than her hood. I can't even see her eyes.

"...you haven't ordered anything?"

I find myself swallowing hard before speaking. "Too pricey. It's probably easy for you because you're a ninja, Big Sister," I say, trying to be polite.

She just releases a breath with a slight hum. Her hot water is set before her, so she takes a drink unflinchingly (even though I can see the steam). I try to look at the menu casually, but I can't focus.

"You seem to be a lotus tea kind of person."

"Eh?"

"From your appearance to personality," she... sort of elaborates? "Plum purples, blacks... you have a very prince-like aura about you."

She's referring to my new outfit. I decided this'll be my new Genin look. Frankly, I've never liked the standard Uchiha high collar shirts. Too cartoony villain. I decided to go with a thin pea coat to hold all my ninja secrets in (the coat has _20 hidden pockets_ ), some black athletic trousers, knee high shinobi shoes: navy blue of all colors. I'd planned to go shopping for ninja items this evening with Father, so I'm not that decorated.

"Aw," I chuckle, "I prefer to be a king."

The lady orders my tea. "I'll pay."

"Eh? Um... thank you, but that's not necessary."

Most villagers are reserved, except when it comes to hot springs, drinking, and festivals. There's no reason for her to be this nice. I know the Uchiha logo is stitched unto the back of my coat, visible enough for her to see it.

What if she's Danzou's agent?

"I insist," she says, "and why are you here of all places?"

"Looking for someone important. They'll be here any minute." There are two hidden pockets I made a few months ago to hold kunai almost like a reversed version of Ezio's hidden blades. It'd be so easy to pull them out and throw, knock a chakra-laced blade through her skull like I'd practiced on thousands of human-esque targets.

"Here you go, ma'am." The waitress sets the cup down and bails. The lady slides the pale pink cup to me.

"Thank you for the meal."

I duck my head once in response before taking the spoon and stirring. It's scalding hot. Hotter than coffee. The tea is murky purple with small bits of green dancing through the liquid. Smells wonderful, though. Smells like heaven. Makes my head feel light.

"I can read your tea," the lady cuts in out of nowhere.

"Ah? Is that so?" I don't trust her enough to drink it, so I decide to just bide my time until my new teacher arrives. My nose itches from the sweet tea smell. "What does it say?"

Despite her eyes being hidden by her hair, I feel like she can actually see the leaves. She leans to me, rests a hand on my shoulder, nibbles on her bottom lip before saying, "Your unlucky color is blue."

—huh.

"Guess I better get rid of these shoes..." I point to them. But. Isn't my forehead protector also blue? I'm not even wearing it, though.

"Why aren't you wearing it?"

Huh?

Did she...?

Yes, there's an expectant look to her as she sits silently. Did I speak out loud? Or am I that obvious?

"I don't know where I should have it. I feel like a bandanna won't make me recognizable, which is a bad trait to have if you're a clan heir. On my face is—"

"Does it truly matter where it belongs?" says she. "Does it?"

 _This is the culmination_ —

"...of my life," I'm _hearing_ ; this is my voice, not my thoughts, but why is it slipping out like this? "It matters. It _matters_."

She watches me—I assume she is behind her hair.

"Who is most important to you?"

 _Why would I tell you? Who_ _ **are**_ _you?_

"My family, of course! Especially my Itachan!"

( _What are you doing?_ )

I scratch my shoulder.

"Ah, I wasn't specific," says she, "I mean, who is one person that is the closest to your heart?"

I smell a corpse.

"That would be... Itachan."

"Itachi Uchiha?"

"Yes."

"And if you watched someone die, which would hurt you worse: Shisui Uchiha or Itachi Uchiha?"

I can see it. Shisui's plunge into the Naka River. If that were Itachi in his place, eyeless and desperate, leaping off the cliff—

I see it in my tea, ever-so purple now. Purple, like azure water mixed with crimson blood bubbling to the surface. A purple nightmare.

"Itachi."

"I see." Then she touches my chin with cold, dry fingers and pushes my head left to see Nahime and Shisui.

Frozen.

Like mannequins.

Everyone in the store is frozen. She lets go of my chin so I can look around. There's this—pale purple hue that I can't blink away.

"What the hell..."

"This is much more delicate than what you're used to," the lady says behind me, sipping her water. "From the moment you walked in, you breathed in a special scent. 0.01 percent of it was my chakra. The longer you stayed here, the more my chakra could enter your body, which makes the trick work. However, it was taking too long, so I stepped in.

"That tea is, too, laced with my chakra in its scent. And in your body are things to also accelerate my trick and prevent you from noticing anything. My _kikaichuu_ beetles."

I get this crazy feeling of something crawling in my skin—not as cool as the song would imply.

"Considering this trick a simple interview," she says. "Now that I understand the kind of person on my team, I must test to see how much of a ninja he is."

"Tell me... tell me what this is called..." Things are beginning to click together and I'm not liking this at all.

"Hm? This is the Truth Teller Illusion. There are many ways to transmit it, ways more delicate than mine but also more time-consuming. You still need the day for your test."

Resigning myself for being played, I say, "Then, you're the sensei of Team 11?"

"Uro Aburame," says she. "Written in _katakana_ with two characters. Traditionally, the _kanji_ characters spell out rain and dew."

The illusion feels just like the lurch of my stomach in an elevator.

The restaurant smells completely different. More earthy and much less saccharine.

Shisui gasps, looks pale. Nahime blinks rapidly.

"Students, please face me."

We all turn to see her standing there, hands shoved in pockets. Oh. She wears a coat, a black tank top, an athletic skirt, ankle high shoes.

She looks at the time on her bulky watch.

Each one of you have a separate task in your pocket. Complete that task by sunset and find me. If you fail the mission, find me. If you're late, find me. Any of the two latter options will cause you to be eliminated from the team. The only ninja I accept is a competent ninja. So, you should scatter... about now."

I Body Flicker out the front door. Lo and behold, in my secret pocket, I find a folded up letter with super neat handwriting. I shake off the illusion aftereffects and this persistent itch in my shoulder.

.: **ZERO END** :.

* * *

 **I am** _ **sooo**_ **sorry I can't reply to your reviews (122, as of now!). Life's been crazy. I just graduated! My family's here... I'm a bit overwhelmed. Let this be a graduation present! I promise you either I will later update this chapter to answer comments or answer them in the next update.**

 **(Please don't stop reviewing! I love connecting with you guys!)**

 **\- 31 May 2018**


	18. ONE

**Possible depression and mental illness triggers.**

 **A Measure of Darkness**

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." Reincarnation!OC

— Robert Frost, _Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening_

* * *

 **ONE**

 _ **A Measure of Darkness**_

 _Genin Takenaka Uchiha: A Boy's Desperation_

* * *

What went so wrong? Let's see... Team 11 had been waiting for nearly an hour before that lady showed up—our new jounin-sensei if we all pass. I can't believe I didn't notice anything at all. Maybe Ken's nose could've alerted him to the danger. Maybe smelling is more than just scents and pheromones.

Regardless, genjutsu is cool.

On the paper my teacher gave me is a location. " _The fountain closest to the market square in region five_ ," it reads. Region five refers to the nearest training grounds. The area borders the edge of the village and, as a result, is very rundown compared to the more updated environment within. Everything is compact with a smaller population living here. Nobody wears any modern clothes (and I use that lightly because the US is leagues more modern), but sticks to _kimono_ - _hakama_ - _karategi_ combos.

The market square is more of a loose circle around a marble fountain. People go about their day without giving me a second glance. I take a seat on the fountain's edge, three to four people away from another human being. Uro didn't reveal much, but, if she's anything like Kakashi, this trial should include teamwork.

As soon as I brush away red dirt staining the marble and sit, the person next to me looks over. Short auburn hair similar to a young Bieber, wide hazel eyes, and dark pink lips as if the person wears lipstick.

"You know of a person named Uro?" the person says, deep but not too much. Reminds me of an oboe or even a bassoon.

"Of course," I smile, ignoring a fleeting moment of anger. "Although, I'm not really sure what's happening here."

"Uro asked if I had a problem I need fixed, and that she'll send someone to help," continues the person, sitting a bit taller. Their outfit consists of nothing but a baggy tee shirt and pants. Vanilla ice cream cone colors compared to the dark hues of his undershirt, gloves, and forehead protector. "Guess you're the guy?"

"Guess I am. What's the problem?" I cross my legs as I wait.

"Uh..." Taking a deep breath, "There's this boy that's super important to me. He's on my team and everything! But... because of who I am... he's doesn't like boys, see..."

"If he doesn't like boys, you can't do much," I say, but I know Uro wouldn't give me a simple task. I can already sense complications.

"Yes, we can! We just have to show him guys are just as good as girls, too!" The crazy, androgynous boy grabs my jacket, pulls. "He just needs to see me as more than a friend."

"You don't actually think this'll work, do you?" I say, but this character seems to be in his own world.

"I just ain't tried harder enough, that's all!" The boy frowns up at me. "So? I'll pay you, if you're really can't believe me, but it'll be useless! He'll love me. I just know it."

I repress a sigh. "We can... give it a shot. Nice to meet you,...?"

"Hiyori!" He lets go, bouncing on the balls of his feet in glee. "Aw, I knew you'd see it eventually!"

"Hiyori? Like the weather?"

"Yeah? What about it? _I_ like it."

"Nothing... nothing, it's fine. So... who's this boy you're trying to convert?"

"Eh?"

"...the boy you care about."

"Nibi," and the biggest smile breaks out on his face.

"Nibi?"

"Nibi lives further in the village, but sometimes I can get him to come down here with me when we eat or spar at home. Today he's coming at noon for a spar. _That's_ when you'll matchmake us!"

I'm a ninja. Not a couple's therapist.

Uro, what's the point of a dumb test such as this?

"Isn't it already noon?" I say, measuring the sun quickly.

"Huh?" Hiyori takes longer. As soon as he shrieks, I know he's finished. " _We're laaate_! Hurry!" He starts running. I travel by roofs, but Hiyori runs, actually faster than the guy leaping from building to building. I struggle to follow him up until we meet the expanse that constitutes as the region five training grounds.

We see a figure resting on a log. Closer now, it's obvious the boy is meditating. He seems much more taller than Hiyori despite being the same age. Hiyori, without delay, grabs his shoulder and shakes him.

"Nibi, I'm here! I'm so sorry I'm late, you know!"

Nibi pries open his eyes, two dull, black dots in a sea of white. Most of his hair defies gravity, sticks upright, whereas my hair is so thin, it can never stand up like Sasuke's. Nibi scratches at his mesh top and quirks a thick eyebrow. "Hiyori. Who's that guy?"

"Oh, _that's_...!"

Hiyori grins at me, sweat dripping down his face.

"Kohi Uchiha," I bow. " _Senpai_ here is teaching me life lessons." I point to my _upperclassman mentor_.

Nibi's eyes widen a small amount. "Oh. Hiyori, you really are maturing, uh?"

He laughs and scratches his head. "It's amazing, isn't it!"

The two start to spar while I obediently watch. The pair have known each other for some time. No moves surprises either. It's nice to take note of some of the cooler strategies they use, but I start becoming _very_ bored.

I'm supposed to matchmake these two? What does this have to do with being a ninja?

"N-Nibi!" Hiyori swings his kunai at Nibi, swinging at nothing, carried only by his momentum at this point. Behind him is Nibi, pelting the boy with the outer half of his arm, the side with more bone coverage and less muscle. Aims it right at Hiyori's waist, causing the poor victim to let out a pained gasp and trip over his own feet.

"Your reflexes are still awful," Nibi comments lightly to the boy holding his aching side. He takes Hiyori's hand—who starts to blush—and pulls him to his feet with a good tug. Hiyori must be lighter than he seems.

"I can't ever win with you," Hiyori complains. "I don't get where I'm going wrong."

I, bored, threatened by the sunset deadline, feel the need to hasten this _Twelfth Night_ madness.

"Your stance is stupidly wide, like you're a bear. You don't have the muscle mass needed for strong attacks. Try fighting according to the realm of possibility," I explain in one go, only belatedly realizing I'm supposed to be a fanboy. "Er, even so, I still believe in my Hiyori- _senpai_."

Hiyori, content, grins at me.

Nibi eyes me down. Ironically, I'm so used to behaving older than my age, I don't really seem to know how to behave like a kid. I doubt faking it would help.

"You a medical ninja?" says he.

"Yeah, but I'm not even in med school yet," I quickly say. And because I lack a place for my forehead protector, I don't even look like a Genin. "I just get taught by my future leader."

"Ah, makes sense." His stare turns into light eye contact that relieves me. "I heard that boy is going to become greater than Tsunade- _hime_ one day."

"Eh? What're you talking about?" Hiyori looks between both of us. Before we can respond, he shouts, "Tummy hungry! Need food!" He grabs his stomach and crumples to the ground.

 _How is he going to handle a boyfriend?_

Hiyori's next genius idea is to get me to fetch them _anpan_ to eat. The boys sit close to one another without my help, but there's no romantic atmosphere. Does that mean I have to create it, being a third wheel?

I crouch low next to Hiyori, furthest away from Nibi as I can get. I pinch the young teen's side to get his attention and cup my hands over my mouth as I whisper, "This environment is as stale as bread. If you want to romance him, be romantic."

Hiyori nervously looks over his shoulder. I don't know why. Nibi only stares at the horizon with the blankest stare humanly possible. "How am I supposed to do that?"

"Do you know what excites him?"

"Yes, but... nothing soft and romantic-y..."

 _Not helping_.

"Just," I pause to think, "do things any guy wouldn't mind. Like... get him to feed you. Guys love that."

" _Wah_ , th-that? That's so embarrassing," says the boy the same color of his hair.

"It works," I smirk. "You wouldn't be looking like that if it didn't."

I crawl away from the two of them and resume vigilance from my bush. Hiyori's rosy shade has calmed down as he steels himself for what is to come. Meanwhile, Nibi finally awakens from his daze, looking around.

"Where did Kohi go?" is all he says.

"Um, Nibi..." The boy takes a big inhale. "You... hurt my hands earlier. It really hurts to eat. Would—Would you f-feed me?"

I give him a thumbs up (even though he's not looking at me).

"Oh," Nibi says. "Sorry. I didn't know my strength now that you're sick. Here..." He tears a piece off Hiyori's _anpan_. "Say 'ah'."

Hiyori's furrowed brow is twitching. He doesn't even look _shoujo_ protagonist red, just pale from discomfort. "A... _Ah_..." Nibi manages to get the bread into Hiyori's barely opened mouth. As the boy plucks off another bite, Hiyori leans away.

"Nibi! Th-There's no need to keep doing that! I don't want to trouble you. I'm sorry!"

He blinks. "Eh? Ah... if you're sure."

I pinch Hiyori's side again, whispering, "What are you doing? You're sinking the ship."

"This is _embarrassing_. The only excited person here is me. Guess Nibi doesn't like these kinda things, Kohi," he whispers back.

"Sorry you're trying to charm a wet noodle. Look, any guy loves being the hero. We'll play to that. Meet me at the branch in five." As I scurry away, I can still hear them as incoherent voices.

Huh... Hiyori's sick? Looks fine to me, physically. I guess he's a bit pale, but his lips and fingers aren't blue. It's probably not a deadly disease.

Anyways, I throw together a quick trap. The same one I used in survival lessons, where we would camp outside and prank one another. Those were the days when I would have to avoid Hakuya's and Mune's traps that could actually land me in the hospital.

It's one of the more simple traps. All Hiyori has to do is walk.

The boy in question doesn't meet me at the branch (probably because I didn't specify), but takes Nibi for a walk in the same direction of my trap. Win-win.

"—sorry," I just barely catch up here in the tree. "I didn't mean to worry you two."

"No. It's my fault, I understand."

"It's _not_ your fault. None of this is yours—"

"Teams work together. You got sick because you were left alone."

Hiyori walks a bit faster, taking the lead. "Maybe I was only alone and you guys didn't see that was cause I made sure you didn't. If I put that much effort ditchin you two, it's my fault."

"We should have noticed."

"Shoulda woulda coulda!" Hiyori turns around to face Nibi, walking backwards. "Stop worrying bout the past, Nibi, and worry about the person still here!"

"How can I...?" His dull black eyes shine slightly. "You're just another painful part of my past."

Hiyori steps on the wire.

—judging by their words alone, I don't think this is the best idea.

Both of them look to the sound of twenty _senbon_ needles heading for Hiyori. It's actually just one needle I borrowed from Hiyori converted into 20 clones, but I'm sure they're painful all the same. Without thinking, I fall from the tree, grab a kunai, and deflect all the blades.

Something tiny pricks me. _It hurts_.

I really am useless without those eyes. There's a silver needle stuck in my leg I have to pluck out. I fall to my knees, lamenting the future.

"K-Kohi!" is Hiyori's shrill shout. Followed by, "What the heck was that? Was it...? Are you okay?"

"It looks worse than it is," I say, still obsessing over the pain I'd feel taking it out.

Just treat it like a bandaid. The faster you rip it off, the less painful it is.

" _Oww_!"

Despite never hearing those words, Nibi is the one who quickly rips off the bandaid. A small, dark red droplet drips from the wound. He takes a bandaid—a white square manifested from his first aid kit—a first aid kit he just happens to wear on his person—and puts it on my wound.

"Are you alright?" And then those dull black eyes actually look concerned, passionate. "That scared me..."

"It's fine. I'm fine." I don't really think these two can become a good couple. Opposites attract, but... don't all couples need a thing or two in common to stay in love? "Actually... why don't you two go somewhere private? And less booby-trapped?"

"Good idea. Hiyori? Can we go to your house?"

"What?"

It's obvious Hiyori was out of it for a moment.

"Is your house fine?"

"Huh? Yeah, sure?"

"Good. We'll go there."

"... _huh_?"

Hiyori's house is apart of an apartment complex, a giant building with about eighty rooms plus a laundry room. The complex is covered in complex smells that nearly gives me a complex about it being safe for Hiyori here.

(Just had to. My English skills are slacking.)

Hiyori manually unlocks his door and pushes it open, letting his guests enter first. The living room is a bit tiny and lacks natural light from windows but also looks homey and personal. My home lacks such a trait.

I'd admire further, but I'm piggybacking on Nibi, half because his insistence and half because I really don't want to follow these young teens with my little legs. It's obvious he's been here before as he smoothly takes off his shoes and starts to go in the direction of what I assume is Hiyori's room.

"Where's your big brother?" Nibi says.

"Probably out with his girlfriend. I'm glad. He's always so selfish without her around," Hiyori says behind us, scowling.

"And a mother? A father?" I say.

"Wouldn't know. I'mman orphan. My big brother isn't actually my big brother. If that makes sense?"

That kind of explains his craziness. No-one was there to teach him otherwise.

Hiyori's room is tiny, his bed hidden under bright red covers taking up most of the room. The floor and desk is decorated with clothes both lightly dirty and filthy. Hiyori falls into his covers while Nibi lets me sit in Hiyori's study desk chair. Soon, Nibi sprawls in Hiyori's bed.

"I just want to sleep forever," he mumbles, eyes closed.

Hiyori looks at me. Waves his arms. Points to Nibi. Draws a question mark in the air.

Oh. _Oh_. Romance.

I need to hurry. My daylight is running out fast.

I open the drawers of his desk, find paper and markers.

' _Just relax next to him? Beats sitting up awkwardly like that_.'

Hiyori casts a nervous glance. He'd be stuck between his wall and Nibi. Hate to be in his position.

Maybe he realizes there's no other option. With an inaudible sigh, he lies down next to the boy.

Nibi opens one eye. "Eh? You're a bit close."

"I am cause I wanna." He stares intently at the ceiling.

"You've been acting weird all day..."

"Seriously? This comin from you? Where's the happy Nibi I saw? Why'd we call you _Nikoniko-bi_ in the Academy again?"

"There's nothing worth smiling about anymore." He pinches his nose, exhaling deeply.

Hiyori studies him. "Not even _me_?"

This atmosphere is weird. Even weirder than their intense staring that could put Edward and Bella to shame. I almost want to third wheel up out of here, but I'm curious.

There's something more meaningful I'm missing. I feel like I'll know it all with one more clue.

Nibi ends up looking away. "Especially not you."

Hiyori glares at him, not purely fueled with simple anger. Sadness and disappointment creep in. "It's not fair. It's not fair you just get to blame yourself, and I get to see you sad. It's not fair you think you have to take on all the burden alone."

"I'm the oldest. My family has the most ninja experience. It's my duty."

"That still ain't fair! You mean a lot more to us than a fancy title and our burdens!"

"It will be over soon. You won't have to face a failure of a leader, Hiyori."

At that, he sits up straight, jumps out the bed, and stomps out the room. I pursue him.

The boy stops inside his small bathroom, splashing his face with water. He had looked really close to crying.

"Okay?" I say.

Hiyori nods with his face buried in a towel.

"Good." I close the door. "Hiyori... start telling me the truth if you actually want help."

He drops the towel. "H-Huh...?"

"Fine. Let's start easy. Why is today of all days significant? Why do you two _have_ to fall in love today?"

"It's for Nibi's sake," Hiyori says, regaining a small portion of his vigor. "He needs the influence of a boyfriend!"

"Why? What's a boyfriend got that a friend can't do?"

"Everything! Don't you understand love? Love's way more stronger than the bond friends share. People will kill, go crazy, or even change their everything just for love! If Nibi has to change, the only natural way to do is cause of love, right?" He starts to gesture towards an imaginary person. "My Big Brother fell in love with his Sensei. He used to be a cruel, hateful boy until she showed up into his life. Now he's more kind and hopeful, but... just a little private with his life. Anyways, that kinda love changes people, Kohi!"

"Slow down. _Why_ are you trying to change Nibi?"

"Because..." Hiyori clenches his fists. "After sunset, Nibi will be dead."

My whole body gets cold. "Nibi's... suicidal."

"Well, yeah, cause his life sucks. Every person he treasured has died—his dad, his uncle, his little brother! Now we're on a team, and _I'm_ the only boy. Nibi... can't lose _another_ person."

—definitely strange.

I close the small distance between us and place a glowing green hand on his core. Hiyori's chakra is like the dying embers of a fire. No problem exists in his physical body, but within his chakra network is something dark. I don't dare spread my chakra through the system for the Diagnostic Technique. But I do leave a small part of my energy behind which tells me more about the energy than the Diagnostic Technique can.

 _Greedy, greedy energy..._

"There's something blocking your chakra from reaching points of your body. The malnourished chakra branches are beginning to die off quickly, faster than your body can adjust to the lowered levels of chakra. In short, you'll soon die of chakra exhaustion without even using your chakra."

" _I know_!" He stomps the ground in an attempt to hold back fresh tears. "I-It was on our first C-Rank. The camp was trapped, and it hit me with a weird-smelling air. When we were fighting later, I knew there was somethin strange bout my body. The Hyuuga doc actually drew me a picture of my chakra system..."

"You're dying," I conclude, "and Nibi thinks it's his fault. So, he's trapped in depression."

"It wasn't his fault, though! Why won't he get that?" Unable to hold back, Hiyori starts crying. An unstoppable cascade of ugly tears and pained sniffs. Not even his towel can wipe away the moisture. "I didn't mean for this to happen..."

I ripple my knuckles in cut time.

 _What can I do?_

Option A is to have the boy fall in love with Hiyori and let Hiyori change Nibi into a better person before he dies. _But won't Nibi just suicide after his love's death?_

Option B... maybe I can heal this? I mean, there's no remedy to healing things already dead, but I can stop the process from getting worse.

"You, me, hospital, _now_ ," I decide to say, which is better than _Get to the hospital, there's no time to explain_! Hiyori shouts "Nibi, I'm going to the hospital!" in his raw, tear-filled voice. Bad move—Nibi probably isn't going to take it well.

I go inside the Leaf Hospital with a confused and tired Hiyori. I do my fastest scrub in and let the Sanitization Technique clean up any mistakes. Once I'm ready to go, Hiyori is sitting in his bed with a hospital gown, staring at Uma.

"Uma-sensei!" I grin at him, but the man doesn't seem too happy.

"Why is Hiyori back again? Is he dying?"

"No. I—actually, I plan to stop Hiyori's death."

Uma gazes at me blankly. "You cannot possibly hope to repeat whatever it was with Ike."

"I don't have a choice, Sensei. Today, by sunset, two lives are at stake. I do nothing, a boy dies. If Hiyori gets his wish and still dies, we'll get two deaths. If I can save Hiyori, nobody has to die."

"W-Wait!" Hiyori looks wildly between us. "I want that Uchiha doc who's like Tsunade- _hime_!"

I'm watching Uma as I say, "I _am_ that Uchiha."

" _Whaaat_? Well, doc, let him try! I don't want to die here!" Hiyori tugs on Uma's scrubs. "I have people I love! If he can save me, let him. And if I die, I'm already dying, anyways. So there."

Uma excuses both of us. He carts me into his soundproof office, decorated in medals, certificates, and excessive amounts of negative space that make his office sort of lonely.

"What are you planning to do?" Uma sits on the edge of his desk, gaze hard. "I will not permit surgery unless I know everything you are going to do."

 _Thank you, Uma-sensei!_

"Okay. I ran a quick Diagnostic Technique plus a little something more. As we can tell, Hiyori's system is infected with an energy that closes chakra branches and, thus, kills the malnourished branch."

"As already known."

"What kind of energy can this be? Is it just chakra from a technique? Because, chakra cannot stay inside a foreign body for long. The host will fight back. Whatever energy this is, it lingers. Are you sure he doesn't have a seal on his body anywhere?"

"Homura did not see any seals nor chakra abnormalities," Uma says, referring to our Hyuuga attending physician. "Whatever the energy is, it can enter the body through smell, then use the lungs to transmit itself through blood, finally collecting in his chakra."

"Wait, the issue's with the physical body?" That screws up my plan a lot.

"Used to be. Unfortunately, when we retrieved blood and lung tissue examples, the energy's presence had all but vanished."

"And a chakra sample showed a high concentration?" Uma nods. "So... it's still a problem with his chakra."

The energy starts with the limbs furthest from the heart: hands, arms, feet, lower legs. As more areas die, the energy continues to set blocks further up the chakra branches, causing more branches to be cut off and to be at the mercy of the greedy energy sucking the energy dry. Kind of like being stuck in a glass box with the water steadily creeping up Hiyori's body, starting from his feet. He won't die from the water that fills up the tube, but once it reaches his shoulders and hips. The energy doesn't need to reach his heart in order for him to die.

 _How do you stop that?_

"Where was the C-Rank?" I say to Uma.

"Garden Village."

He was still in the Land of Fire, a bit close to the Land of Water.

"There are no records that the Land of Water have any shinobi with the capability of this technique," Uma adds. "Nor our homeland."

If no seal-based technique caused this, if no ninja is capable of this, why does this greedy, hungry energy exist?

I can vaguely feel the energy now: an erratic surge of energy slightly colored with Hiyori's chakra. Almost as if the energy consumes the chakra then uses it as fuel to...

An idea hits me.

Literally, I nearly fall over as I shout, "What if it's _not_ an energy, Uma-sensei?"

"Any chakra sensor can clearly detect the energy," he replies, disappointed, which hurts.

"No, I mean, what if that's a trap? A defense mechanism?"

"Are you implying... sentience?"

"Don't you think the energy moves too effectively? It _knows_ to stay in a single place just long enough for the branches to die, then move up to fresh branches. If there's no seal ordering it where to go, the problem is probably much simpler."

"Which is...?"

"My new sensei's _kikaichuu_ beetles." I nod.

" _Kikaichuu_? No, no, we would have detected those insects immediately. Those beetles comprise a large part of this hospital."

"I know. But were did the beetles come from? Were they trained to eat chakra? Has there always been chakra-eating insects? If so, who'd let them live in this world? And who'd just take the insects for their own?"

Uma's silent. No one really knows any lore within other clans. That would be bad if everyone knew of an Uchiha's Mangekyou, even Susano'o. That would be bad if the Yamanaka's mind technique got out.

"You assume insects are living within this boy, hidden by energy as it feeds?"

"Yes, Sensei. I think I can prove it, too."

Uma gestures to the door with a palm. "By all means..."

Hiyori is waiting patiently, as patiently as one can expect. "Kohi! Hey, guy! I'm goin to surgery?"

"Almost." I place my hand on his core and nod at Uma. "Here goes."

I focus on pouring my energy into the dying heat. I slowly spread through the branches, feeling the energy trying to adapt around me.

It's easy to feel a cold, rotting energy up ahead.

My chakra spreads further, getting close to the energy—

It surrounds my energy for a moment, then slithers up the supernatural force, rendering it disconnected from me. It feeds off the new energy and, before it reaches the core, I pull my energy out the chakra system, hover it just under the surface of skin. Soon, the energy resumes its chase of me, feeding off my chakra. I pull my hand away, checking it. It's clean.

"A rash?" Uma points to the collection of small, reddish bumps where my hand was.

"Can an energy cause a rash? Because that energy followed my chakra and even tore free of the system to get it."

"Ah, this energy is far too sentient," Uma nods.

"What's happening?" Hiyori says. "And can this hurry up?"

"The surgery plays out like we're removing _kikaichuu_ ," I say to the now optimistic doctor. "But we're actually removing much smaller, aggressive beetles."

After that, getting the surgery planned goes smoothly. With Hiyori drugged up and knocked out thanks to our our vigilant anesthesia medic, I find myself with Uma, Homura, and Kanka—people only distinguishable by their body's silhouette and their eyes not hidden by the face mask.

( _A bunch of -a names, huh?_ )

Our first surgery is only to save the right leg, just to see if this procedure would work properly. Homura starts it off, extremely limiting the chakra flow through the branches further down of Hiyori's leg from just above his knee. As common with removing _kikaichuu_ beetles once their owner/host is long dead.

Expectedly, the energy, or "bugs", starts to spread to eat up as much chakra as it can within the cordoned off block.

Kanka functions as our best sensor in the hospital, telling us the status of Hiyori's energy, while Homura provides us with visual clues. Even with my new link to Hiyori's chakra, I can't risk myself being wrong.

Uma-sensei makes sure his pupil doesn't screw up his first major surgery. It's already a little worrisome knowing I'm not at my full stamina.

I take a glowing blue index finger and perform an alternate form of Chakra Scalpel. This version solely effects chakra instead of muscles and veins. My finger only slides maybe five to seven centimeters on the surface. Underneath, I should be slicing the bugs in half.

"I can still see the darkness," Homura says, off-white eyes practically glowing under the only lit lamp in here.

"But the energy's more chaotic now," Kanka adds. "Your scalpel is too big. You've barely done anything."

I drop the size down to millimeters. The back of my head starts to throb with the concentration necessary to keep the technique. I'm converting my energy into a hair-thin slicing machine, much like Hinata's unique little defense technique.

I move much, much more slowly, but Kanka says, "Good. It's getting weaker."

A little later, Homura stifles a gasp. "I see exoskeletons. I can see the chakra they've stuffed themselves full with. They remind me of aphids."

"Aphids?" says Kanka.

"The insects ladybugs consume."

"Why would you know such a thing?"

"They are... unique creatures?"

"Somebody knock _me_ out," snorts our anesthesia medic.

I continue cutting until Kanka reports no more energy, long after Homura says the energy cloud is gone. I bite my tongue to clear the ache in my mind. The next part is removing the dead insects.

Homura fully blocks the rest of the chakra. Uma helps me out by still nourishing the outside of Hiyori's disconnected branches. I make a small incision to the inside of the branch and grab a tube to vacuum out the dead. I can actually see little bodies zooming through the tube.

Second to last is cleaning up the bugs' blood that remains behind, which is easy to do with chakra. Finally, I use Mystic Palm for the new wound, have it heal up nicely. Homura surveys my work and takes out the block. As with any block release, the chakra _tenketsu_ gradually reopen so as to not hurt the body.

The five of a us look at each other. An easy surgery with no complications—as of now, at least. Tension is off our shoulders.

"Second youngest surgeon," Kanka says, voice soft.

"Ah, behind Tsunade, eh?" I think about grabbing an ice pack for my head.

"Wrong. The title belongs to Orochimaru-sama, during the murdering of his clan."

-what.

"Congratulations." She squeezes my shoulder. "You're really taking this punishment seriously."

:.

Hiyori wakes up ten minutes after. He's not all that there. (Not unusual.)

"I feel like I have cotton in my head," he tells me. "It's all so thick and tickles... and fluffy and light..."

"How's your leg?" I say. I'd been monitoring it for any swelling or rashes.

"Woah, dude, it feels so much better! Like, it's not really heavy or cold anymore..."

"Good. We'll continue checking up on you post-surgery. If you keep up, we'll be able to do the surgery on the rest of your limbs," I grin.

Hiyori smiles and his eyes shut. "That'd be friggin awesome, dude. _Doc_ , I mean. Thanks."

"Oh, by the way, you have a visitor. Had him for some time." I get up and open the door. It's barely parted before Nibi slips in, holding something concealed with white cloth.

"Hiyori," he says, standing still.

"Nibi," Hiyori replies, looking faint.

I see these two still need help. I close the door and push Nibi to Hiyori's bed. Still, they stare. So I take whatever Nibi has and set it on the bed.

"Huh? What's that?" Hiyori points to the cloth. "For you?"

Nibi shakes his head. "You. It's... an apology gift. A thank you gift. A get better gift."

The gift is inside a plain-looking box. Hiyori unties the rope and lifts the top. The biggest smile breaks out on his face. He reaches inside and pulls out a red teddy bear with giant eyes and tiny smile. Its shirt has the symbol of the Hidden Leaf Village embroidered onto the soft fabric.

"A new one! Thank you! I'm sorry you had to buy me a new one, Nibi!"

"It's fine. I'm glad I can keep buying thing from you for now on." And Nibi smiles. It's not as radiant as Hiyori led me to believe. Though, I guess he hadn't smiled at anything for a long time.

Hiyori is left speechless at his smile. A brief second of fear passes over his features—maybe certain Nibi's depression is still there—but it fades.

With Nibi's words, I don't think he plans to give in today.

—again?

Something eerily warm bursts to life within me. My mind says to be worried; my body says to be happy. This feeling is comfortable, sincere, and most intense in my chest, my heart.

I touch my heart, the same time Hiyori does as well, mildly concerned. Through this new connection, we can feel each other's energies. But emotions, though? Matter of fact, is this emotion only Hiyori's or are we feeling the same thing? Is our emotions blending together into something stronger? Regardless... this feeling is almost too much for me. I never felt _this_ in my first life.

I just so happen to glance at the window.

It'll be sunset soon. With that, I bolt out of there before they notice.

Ren's Tea gives me a bad feeling as I enter the restaurant on time, fluffy feeling fading. Uro sits us at a table now, along with Shisui and Nahime. They strategically chose their positions so that I have to sit directly across from Uro.

"We all made it," beams Shisui, mainly at me.

"I'm glad."

"Ah. Either you three completed your tasks or failed."

"Eh..." I scratch my neck. Mission sort of completed? Come to find out, Shisui and Nahime both look kind of nervous.

"Let's beginning from earliest to latest. Nahime?"

"My task was to help Grandmother Heiwa make a homemade cake for her first grandson. We purchased the ingredients and cooked the cake but, ah... her grandson does not exist."

"Huh?" Shisui and I say in unison.

"I found her daughter and she explained Grandmother Heiwa is very mentally ill. She believes her daughter gave birth to a boy when, in reality, her daughter cannot carry a baby for longer than twenty-seven weeks. Her daughter does not know what to do. She cannot get pregnant even if she tried, and so her mother will always love a grandson that does not exist.

"The only rational way I could see completing my task was to pretend the son existed with the daughter. Grandmother Heiwa had not actually celebrated the birth with her daughter, as the latter always ran away from her mother. I suppose I connected the two, but... I don't know, Sensei. The task doesn't feel right..."

"Creepy," I murmur. Thinking about it makes me shiver. What's the point of that task?

"I'm sorry, Nahime. Um, my task was also weird, I guess. I had to find and eliminate a dangerous ninja at the Kurosawa Household. They're really rich people and told me they were having a cool party that night, at sunset. So I went around their house trying to find this ninja. Well, it turned out the ninja was actually their son. He faked the whole affair, because he hated their parties. He was tired of acting like someone he wasn't.

"I tried talking to his parents, but... they're so... impatient. They didn't really care. I didn't want to, but they would only listen to the ninja, so he and I made the ninja more scary and gave them a message to listen and care for their son more. I think they finally understood, though!"

"That's... nice," I offer, growing even more confused. I can't really see a _theme_ here. She gave us tasks, tasks we couldn't actually complete the same way in reality. Is this her way of telling us it's okay to not follow orders? That's pretty useless. That's not heartwarming like Kakashi's bell test. This day would have been pointless.

Oh, it's my turn.

"I had two teammates. My task is to turn these two into a couple. Boy A is crazy and Boy B is about as interesting as watching plants grow. A wants B to like A because A thinks love will change people and will stop B's suicidal thoughts—he was planning on murdering himself at sunset. In B's life, a lot of males have died and, surprise, A was going to die soon.

"I'm faced with a dilemma. If I follow A's wish, A will die and B might die, too, since his love is dead. If I do nothing, B will die at sunset. If I try to heal A, then nobody has to die, right?

"Uma-sensei and I work together to solve the issue behind A's death. Can't disclose. Patient privacy. But in the end, the surgery is a success and A will survive. Option 3 works. A and B will live."

"O-Oh..." Shisui looks confused.

"That sounds pointless," Nahime says. "You did not even attempt to follow your task. At least we _tried_."

Is she trying to get me kicked off this team? What was Minato _thinking_? I thought I could work with her, but she's being so nasty and I'm already exhausted. My head throbs, my body's experiencing weird emotions, my chakra reserves are less than half, and my day hasn't been easy.

I don't mind snapping, "Like I _care_. I saved two lives today! That's more than what you can say. ' _Oh, I'm Devil-princess, and I've just forced a senile grandmother and her infertile daughter to celebrate the birth of a non-existent grandson_!' There could have been another way! Adoption! I know boy orphans who would _love_ the stability of family!"

Oh ho, she gets riled up, too.

"That was not my task, Uchiha. Team 11 needs members who follow their orders and won't do anything selfish and impulsive to suit their whim. You are not an effective ninja, just because you are talented. You are the world's most unreliable ninja and I refuse to let you be on my team!"

"Nahime! Takenaka! You guys—!"

"What about that exam, first year? We could have been partners, Nahime. We matched each other. We were stronger together."

"That was artificial strength. Do you understand how often I had to bite my tongue or betray my feelings just to appease you? That was a toxic partnership I never wish to repeat!"

"You know what? I don't really care what you think. Because you completed your task and felt wrong. I completed my task and never felt _happier_ ," I shout. I recognize I did by the small echo in the now silent room.

"You two, hey!" Shisui is pushing us back into our seats. A part of me realizes there are still people in Ren's Tea (people whom we were ruining their experience) and lets go.

Besides, all this arguing doesn't look good in front of our new Jounin-sensei.

I fold my hands together on the tabletop, saying, "So, what's the verdict?"

"Verdict," Uro asks right back.

"Are we Team 11?"

She cups her chin, taps the side of her face in thought. "You three make up a very interesting team. Obviously, the tasks were trials themselves. They were designed to test you."

"How?" I say the loudest, stopping Shisui before he can respond.

"Would you like to guess the meaning of the tasks?"

None of us speak up. We look at one another quietly, until Shisui responds, "Work hard...?"

"Why do you think that?"

"Because... it wasn't easy fooling his parents. Just like it wasn't easy for Nahime and the daughter to throw a false birthday party. It wasn't easy for Takenaka to help Boys A and B. Were the tasks testing our ability to work hard?"

Not bad. It's far more interesting than my idea.

"Excellent interpretation," Uro says, a slight nod. "It is not the true meaning, however."

We're all a bit reluctant to speak again, fearing we'd answer wrong. The silence stretches enough for Uro to speak again.

"Even if you don't realize it, you all have _it_ and _it_ is very strong."

I bite my impatient tongue.

"Devotion. Compassion. Selflessness. Each trial corresponded to one attribute, one attribute I assumed you would be weakest in, based upon your pre-task interviews." She turns to Nahime first. "I believed you would be very weak in selflessness. It requires a lot of yourself to do things that go against your morals. It's only natural, due to your upbringing."

Nahime says nothing, only turning bright white and staring at a wall. I'm the next person she turns to.

"Takenaka, your weakness lies in compassion," Uro says, and **I have to stop her**.

"You're completely wrong. Did you forget what happened in that genjutsu? _Compassion_ is the least of my weaknesses. It's not even a weakness."

Does she not understand what it means to love a little brother? Does she even know us? She talks about tests, but is she even reliable enough to test others?

"Compassion is the ability to care for others," she begins all high and mighty. "You lack that ability. Underneath false smiles and happy words, it genuinely takes much for you to care for another person beyond a superficial level. You won't be able to understand this weakness until you stop denying it subconsciously."

—she's going to be a useless teacher. I can already tell. Just one of those stupid adults who think they know everything. Everything in their outdated minds. There's a reason kids find it so hard to understand their parents used to be kids just like them.

 _Compassion, she says_...

"Lastly, Shisui's weakness is his devotion. Naturally, when you were completing these tasks designed to test these weaknesses, was it not awkward relying on your weakness? Did you feel uncomfortable? Upset? Disgusted? Such is the result using a part of yourself that is not innate nor dominant."

"How's Shisui's weakness _devotion_ ," I ask, I interrupt.

Shisui whips his head to me, mouth forming an _O_. "Ta-Takenaka, maybe later?"

I sigh, let the anger go in the form of my exhale. Back to smiling, albeit small. "Fine, fine, excuse me..."

"By testing your weaknesses," Uro says, "I am testing your ability to persevere. No matter what, a ninja must endure. If I had gotten a team of students who could not endure, I would send them back to the Academy. Lucky for you three, you've successfully endured. For that, I will become your teacher."

Shisui is the first to gasp and thank our teacher. His smile is contagious, so I grin a little before going back to neutral. Nahime doesn't even seem happy at all. (Wait, why would she?)

"Every weekday morning, Team 11 shall meet at the local playground nearest to the Academy. Nine o'clock." Uro is standing up, brushing off her dark-colored clothes. "I look forward to meeting you all again." With her soft goodbye, she Flickers away without smoke.

"This is incredible..." Shisui is still grinning. "I'm really a ninja! My own team... cool!"

Nahime stands abruptly and leaves.

Shisui lowers his raised arms. "She's upset?"

"When isn't she? Don't bother. What I want to know is how Uro said your weakness is devotion. You're the most devoted guy I know," I say.

"Um, later, if that's okay."

Now _is_ later. I guess we aren't close friends. Probably not even best friends.

I nod and stand up. "Congrats, Shisui. We're ninja. Remember when you thought it was crazy to graduate early with me? Well, look at where you are now."

"Thank you for training me—all of us, actually," the boy bows briefly. "I'm glad I didn't give up."

This little goober is too precious. I mess up his hair before heading home. Walking through the door, I can smell dinner cooking. Father is in the entrance, holding a sleeping Ryou.

"Back so late?" says he.

"No, I say 'I'm home' and you say 'Welcome back'," I tease as a take off my shoes. "But, yes. My new teacher has been training us all day. We should go on missions soon."

Then the Uchiha leader smiles, instantly half a decade younger. His smiles are rare. It's sad to have to many memories of a scowling man, but... it's nice have extra memories where he smiles. Bonus: it's a smile only I get to see.

(—there goes that fluffy feeling...)

"That's my son," says he, kind of ruining my dreamlike mood.

As he turns to go, I hear myself saying, "Do you think I'm bad at compassion?"

The question takes him off guard. He ponders. "You are a bit selfish. However, every human is to some degree. I wouldn't call your lack of compassion anything to fear. There are many more admirable traits to balance that."

He leaves.

I'm selfish?

That's not true.

You're misunderstanding me.

Me, selfish.

Selfish?

Isn't that some sort of generic weakness?

" _If you want to sin humanity, just sin their selfishness_."

I don't understand. I've been nothing but compassionate.

"You're wrong."

I take out my forehead protector. The dull metal poorly reflects a lost face.

"I am compassionate. _I am_."

And so I rip off the pre-attached cloth and head to my room, looking through my closest for any old shirts. I shred my black toddler clothes and sow together a new cloth for the protector. I put the loop on, angle it just so that the metal, maybe a kilogram at most, rests above the beating of my heart.

Of course _this_ is how I will wear my forehead protector. As a sash.

I like it.

.: **ONE END** :.

* * *

 **Shout out to** _ **FaalconPaawnch1**_ **for being follower 600. Love that username.** Also, "branches" is akin to veins and arteries of blood. In fact, I feel like the cardiovascular system mirrors the chakra system by their functions, but the nervous system references the sort of vagueness of the system? Like, the nervous system isn't tangible blood, but electrical synapses you can't plainly see or measure? The chakra system, as well, is made up of a transparent, untouchable force.

 **Reviews (1 of 2)**

* You'll be seeing more characters very soon: Obito, Itachi, Fugaku, Mikoto, and more...

* Mira: Thank you~. I'm glad. The chapter titles are more for my sake, for timeline purposes. They're supposed to quick reminders.

* Scanteia: There might be romance later on. I know some people really want the romance to be boy x boy, but I really want the romance to be boy x girl. I'm sorry if you don't like that...

* Guest: I would hope so. Because the universe isn't the same as the one in canon as early as TWO. Unless you mean with the changes the characters are strange, which is definitely my fault as a writer. I apologize!

* Tunak23: My friend, I have written chapters nearly as long as 15k words. Short chapters are _not_ my forte.

* Fritosaurio: _Thank you_. That's what drives me to write. I'm really happy~.

* aguy1013: Thanks~

* lizzielucky: Thank you for the support~

* wisedoodle: Sorry, it's not for you. I understand I'm writing things that aren't common to write about. And I understand how critical this fandom is. I just kinda wanted to write a character who goes a nontraditional route of becoming a ninja, despite hailing from one of the most overused clans in history!

I suppose I chose things that seem random, but I really, really wanted to make this journey stand out than character wakes up in Narutoverse, either he changes the plot or keeps it same.

* lizyeh2000: Thanks~ Itachi is a precious cinnamon roll.

* xJehovah: Thanks~

* Episoph: Because the Sharingan would see through or break the illusion, he didn't activate them. I'll give a hint: just imagining Itachi in Shisui's place so vividly would have definitely awakened the Sharingan under normal circumstances. Also, Itachi is a little upset because if you're not Takenaka, it kinda comes across as hypocritical for no reason. "Don't graduate early, Itachi... even though I just kinda did."

* ahuvati: Thank you! It was so much fun!

* timijaf: Thanks~

\- 20 Jun 2018


	19. TWO

**A Measure of Darkness**

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." Reincarnation!OC

— Robert Frost, _Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening_

* * *

 **TWO**

 _ **A Measure of Darkness**_

 _Genin Takenaka Uchiha: Next Steps_

* * *

Our first D-Rank is, as expected, very typical. It feels like an oxymoron to have a team of three talented students who graduated years before their time while the draft still remained completing simple chores, but mission protocol demands Genin must have D-Rank experience before doing a C-Rank.

Now with an income, I can start worrying about money. If I were a plain villager, I would have to live in an apartment or condo, because there are few houses dedicated to clan-less villagers—at least, close to the heart of the village. It's frowned upon (unspokenly) to become a ninja without hailing from a clan or even an elite family, because family and hierarchy is important. Collective good over the individual at its finest.

(Rent is expensive. Studios are 15000 ryo, and the number just goes up from there. Two month's rent costs 30000 _plus_ the application fee of 1000 _plus_ renter's insurance for 3000 _plus_ the cost of buying furniture. I don't think I've ever seen an already furnished apartment. That's not including food costs and pet fees.

(The ninja must also buy an identification card—extremely important, I may add—for 5000, renew that every three years for a fee, buy proper ninja or athletic clothes, and register to buy weapons for 2000. Then buy the weapons. When Father and I went shopping, shuriken are the lowest priced weapons: 5000 for a pack of sixty.)

All in all, the cost of living at the absolute lowest is ten, low-paid D-Ranks every month, about 60000 ryo annually before taxes. Of course, those who don't have clans get taxed harder. Because life is fair.

For clans, they usually have their own banks where their funds result from clan tax, donations, and taking money from dead shinobi or shinobi who marry out the clan. A ninja can take out a loan, if they must, but sometimes the parent saves up the money for them while they are supposed to be in the Academy for at least five years (provided they don't start early at five or six for a total of six-seven years).

It's not all bad not having money. In the ninja world, money is more or less an accessory and not a necessity. It doesn't make sense to hoard money for a flashy upgrade but it does make sense to use money to upgrade human capital. Attending lessons, meeting a mentor, buying better equipment—stuff like that is more important than homes or trendy clothes. If a ninja really wanted to, he could take mission after mission to keep himself away from home with little cost.

"How often do most people get missions?" I say to Uro as Team 11 walks to the mission desk.

"What do you mean?"

"Is getting a mission difficult? Is doing a mission difficult? Why do we only have to do ten D-Ranks every month if we want to live okay?"

"That's a quota villagers without clans should have to met. Your clan may expect a different quota. But, yes, getting missions can be difficult at times. If you want Hokage-sama or mission desk officers to give you better missions, you must develop an excellent track record or be an offspring of a great clan. It helps to already have an impressive portfolio before the end of Academy," Uro says, emphasizing the last sentence.

I see. It's one of those things where I need work experience, so I apply for a job, but get rejected because I don't have work experience. Except, I do, and I avoided that whole affair by being born an Uchiha. Maybe Neji's ramblings had some merit after all.

"If that's the case, Sensei," Shisui says, involved in our discussion, "our missions aren't well-paying missions for our level."

"Well-paying missions yield more money and require more complicated tasks. Let us begin somewhere simple and flourish from there. I have to admit I have willingly rejected many C-Rank requests."

"What?" I say at the same Shisui says, "Why, Sensei?"

"You are not ready yet," she states in tone declaring the end of our conversation.

At the end of the week, I get my paycheck and have to tell Father. It's off to the bank for us. My future is a little more set in stone than others. I'm fated to be the heir, so I don't get much freedom. I follow whatever Father does. I save my money just like him. I care for our house because I will own it some day just like him. I buy things that won't upset the Uchiha Clan just like him.

Not having much choice about things really simplifies my life. Puts it on autopilot. I can do more important things instead of worrying about my future. But I decide to save up my money not just for having funds in case of an emergency, but for a rainy day. Specifically, a greedy bandit zombie.

My existence hasn't stopped the Akatsuki from forming. But without Obito, maybe it'll put a dent in Madara's plan to corrupt the Mizukage. For now, everything's still uncertain.

"The Uchiha Bank," Father says to me, obviously proud to be teaching his son something so adult.

The Uchiha Bank can hardly be called a bank.

Before us is an Anbu man, hidden behind a mask actors use. His form is kept wrapped up with a full body jumpsuit, dark blue in nature. He displays our funds and complete financial report silently, as still as mountains.

We are in the safety of our home. I still feel nervous.

"Where does the money go?" I say, suddenly wiping off my sweaty palms.

"Classified information," Father tells me. "You will find the answer in my will."

Oh.

(Ninja love their secrets.)

Anyways, the number written doesn't look good. Three really good A-Rank missions equals our funds. _Really bad_. We have plenty of Uchiha—we're the fourth biggest clan behind the Hyuuga, the Yuami, and the Akimichi. There should be plenty of Jounin taking A-Ranks.

I soon go through our clan's archives. Father keeps a record of them in his office for ease of access. He doesn't keep it locked, since only verified people can enter our home without instantaneously dying thanks to protection seals (eliminates the need to keep doors locked, too).

The amount of Uchiha ninja over the past decade has declined.

Eighty percent of Academy students make Genin, thirty-five percent of Genin make Chuunin, and only twelve percent of Chuunin become either a Special Jounin or a Jounin. Zero percent have become Hokage.

No wonder the Hyuuga Clan is called the strongest. Their Chuunin and Jounin outnumber ours. Nearly double than both percents.

The Uchiha Clan is too complacent.

(Is that why it was so easy to have two men murder them all in one night?)

I present my findings with Father over dinner, the time he's free.

"Only four percent of Jounin have taken an A-Rank within the last five years," I start. "Why is that rate so low?"

He furrows his brows, probably knowing how I got my information. "The Uchiha children all want to be apart of the Police Force."

 _That_ received a two-hundred fifty percent increase over the decade.

"The average salary there is a C-Rank," I scoff. "Most ninja work nine-to-five and do little exercise. Once they're out on the field, their weakness shows and, thus, they perform horribly and are paid as such. Alternatively, they don't want to push themselves and take easy missions, getting less pay."

"Why are you concerned with this?" says Father, understandably a bit frustrated. No father really imagines having serious financial discussions with their now nine-year-old.

"It was an issue about our bank, but now I see the issue is more deep-rooted than expected." I frown up at the choice of words. "The Uchiha Clan is settling for the mediocre task of joining the Force. They aren't trying to be ninja. They are becoming office workers."

"No matter. This is a career set in place by the late Second Hokage."

"He gave us a _job_. Not a career. Nobody wants to be on the Force other than brainwashed children—"

"Takenaka—"

I _should_ stop at his tone.

"No, listen, Father. Do you really want me to grow up and join the Force with you?"

He sucks on his teeth, face hard, seething.

"Your talents lie elsewhere," he mumbles. "A prodigy like you deserves the field."

"The Police Force is useless. Constantly does our power overlap that of the more respected Anbu forces. (That's saying much—people are comforted by the sight of masked men likely with mental illnesses than _us_.) We're funded only by members of our clan, so we pretty much train and pay our own people—don't you know how much our net worth is? _Negative_. The Force is too much of a liability."

"Regardless of what you think—"

I interrupt him. Father is scary when he wants to be. He shouldn't just let his son talk over him like this.

"My point from the Academy still stands. Let the Leaf create a career for the Uchiha that actually uses our innate talent and makes us stronger. You should push for that reality, Father!"

Father's body is ten times bigger than me. His chakra reserves outweigh mine. He can kill me. He can make me suffer.

His shoulders fall. Like that, he just seems like a tired old man.

He says to me, "I am pragmatic. It is how I survived two wars. I was not fortunate enough to have your talent. To create such a reality is beyond my potential. You, however, still have a chance to make it happen."

Why is _he_ giving up? My Father wasn't heralded a genius growing up, but he was no average ninja. If Nahime's words are the truth, his trump card relies on his new Mangekyou Sharingan, implying he simply wasn't known by something else before the epithet. It didn't help Father was especially closed about his childhood with the drama of Mother and death of his closest friend, Hakushi.

I remember his infamous _That's my son!_ and start to wonder why he would take credit for his genius children when he wasn't a genius himself. Maybe it's the sense of pride a parent feels to see their child succeed where they could not.

I look at Father. I look at Mother, Itachi, and Ryou meaningfully. "I want our clan to be strong just the way we were before. Having the Military Police Force is just a ploy to keep us away from power. Hokage-sama and his wife both respect the Uchiha. I wouldn't doubt that there be a change in this lifetime."

I thumb to myself. "I'll make that change."

:.

Orochimaru's gaze lingers on my forehead protector. "The rumors are true..."

The first of the month came three weeks later. "I graduated."

I haven't quite gotten used to talking with the snake. It doesn't help that I know his true motives and a firsthand experience (if I call watching a show firsthand) of his relationships, _but_ I'm not supposed to reveal that. How do I steer him the direction I want him to go without being obvious about knowing what direction he wants to go?

It's easiest to drown ourselves in working with corpses and theories, to bide my time figuring out how I saved Honou Ike. Even with Orochimaru's forbidden scrolls and books, I still can't fathom what I did.

But if it's got anything to do with Ninshuu, maybe it's some weird kind of spiritual ascendance? Like those women who were infected by the "Holy Spirit" in church. Or something.

"You are now a Genin, hm?" is the yin of Orochimaru's voice stealing my focus.

"I'm not a complete ninja. I'm still in medical school for residency training." I keep my eyes on the scroll, trying to decipher old Japanese calligraphy. "Going to specialize in chakra with Uma-sensei."

"The surgeon specialist? Interesting."

Well, it was either interdisciplinary studies with Nonou or working with the man who was once my father's teacher. It was easy to get a great recommendation letter from him.

"Are you still in contact with Honou Ike?"

"He's set to be released next month, into bed rest."

"I see. Then we won't have a project to work on, hm?"

If I don't keep him entertained, he'll flee the Leaf. He'll make Sound. Join the Akatsuki. Without Itachi there to kick his ass, he'll stay. Him and Kisame. Snake and shark. I still need to make the next-generation Legendary Three.

But, I also don't want to waste my time entertaining him without any gain. We can come up with a win-win situation.

 _Give him want he wants and he'll give me what I want_ , a part of me thinks.

I blurt, "My friend is trapped in the hospital. She's as good as dead. I want to reverse that—I want to make her immortal. And I'll need your Sealing Techniques to do it."

A shiver goes up my spine watching his eyes light up.

"What is your idea?" He lowers his bone saw onto the table with a soft sound.

"W-We..."

 _This is suicide. Abort the mission. You'll just give him what he wants._

"We establish a body for the person's soul—living or inanimate. We attach their soul around their heart, which also functions as a chakra producer. So long as the heart remains in tact, the person can choose any host they desire."

He tilts his head, mouth slightly open to reveal a slimy tongue. "Are you sure this will actually work?"

"It's... worth trying," I say. "I'm not going to give her up. I've found the secret to immortality."

Orochimaru spreads a large parchment on the table. He holds onto a fountain pen as he stares at me. "Outline the technique."

I have to clear my throat to make sure sound will come out once I speak. "The seal needs to use the Enclose Technique for the chakra, but also not kept as firmly locked away, so it may be manipulated. Kinda like the Uzumaki Seal," I add, forgetting that Takenaka Uchiha should have never heard of that at all.

Even Orochimaru gives me a brief look. "'Manipulated?'"

"It should be able to function like a normal core. This means chakra production. It must also be able to be used by the host."

I draw a picture of an outdated chakra system, once praised for its artistic qualities than accuracy, but easier to draw quickly. I point the spiral of fire at the body's core. "Spiritual and physical energies. It's not enough to simply place the two inside the seal. I'll also need to ensure the two are in constant motion on the fundamental level," I say, which is just fancy talk for an acid trip. "The seal should also expand to make a sort of pseudo chakra system so that the host can use that chakra and still be a ninja."

The Snake Sage's ravenous look is gone, replaced by a strained face. "What you are illustrating is impossible."

"Not impossible, difficult."

"How can you be so certain this will work?"

"I don't have another option, Orochimaru-sama. You're the smartest man in the Leaf Village. If you can't solve this key to immortality, no one ever will."

He takes the paper and wraps it up. "I will brainstorm a prototype. How will we be able to test this?"

"Animal subjects?"

He sneers. "Of course. You wouldn't prefer human subjects. If you want to save your girl, you should immediately go with human subjects."

"No. If you get caught, our plan will be ruined. I'll figure out the secret with Jiraiya-sama, or..."

"Please. That old toad does not have the patience or capacity to teach anyone." He takes the paper and places it inside his robe's pocket. "I will contact you with details at a later date."

He leaves, moving through the world with pure silence. It's surreal.

I slap myself.

I can feel my skin grow hot and itchy where the hit connected.

"Great job, you idiot. This wasn't supposed to happen..."

But Orochimaru's defection is delayed. Possibly. If he keeps on his best behavior. When I get home, I'm going to sleep forever.

:.

"Shisui, you're killing me here," I sigh.

"I'm sorry," but he's smiling.

"I don't understand how you could fail to make an ice cream cone."

It's not as if they're the fat scoops I love in America. No, the ice cream amounts to liquor in a shot glass, embellished with a few toppings and a spoon that should be a toothpick. And yet, these villagers practically roasting under a summer sun can't get enough of this ice cream.

I just don't see how Shisui can mess up scooping ice cream. I watch him make uneven scoops and push the deliciously cold chunks together inside the bowl, blurring the flavors and colors into a mutli-color-taste garbage.

"You need to be more delicate with the ice cream," I chide. "No customer will eat what looks to be pink and brown snot."

"Ah, Takenaka, you shouldn't say unappetizing things that loudly..."

I wouldn't be so critical if I had help. Nahime creates her ice cream too perfectly. To the point where she'll _gladly_ throw away imperfect cups and start all over. Now, she's sitting on the countertop, eating strawberry ice cream.

"What are you doing," I state.

"I am hot and tired," she states back. "I paid for my cup."

"That's not the issue here. The issue is that it's _not_ our lunch break. _So_ , you _can't_ take a break while there's _no break_ ," I say very deliberately.

"Uchiha, it makes sense in the end: I will work during the break. That way, we won't have to close and lose business."

"That would make sense if you _didn't take an hour just to serve one customer_ ," is what I would like to say, but actually say, "Okay, great, whatever."

"Takenaka," Shisui calls from his new position at the register.

"Yes," are two voices on the opposite ends of the kitchen.

"Er, um, I mean the real Takenaka?"

I walk to Shisui's side. Me knowing the Shadow Clone Technique was a secret in the Academy, but now as a Genin, I need to be as competent as possible. Plus, I don't think I could do this with just _one_ Takenaka.

"Uh, we have an order for fifty ice cream cups. Apparently, there's a kunai throwing team here?"

"What's the damage?" I take a look at his order receipt. Every single order is radically different from the last.

I think I'm going to have an aneurysm.

Who's idea was to force nine-year-old ninja on such a dumb task as _this_?

"The owners have a case of pneumonia," Uro tells us. "That is why you are here."

"I could heal that in five hours," I say.

"Maybe so, but they are not paying you to heal them. They are paying for you to work at their store."

 _We better earn minimum wage, too_.

"Sensei is not paid for this, so Sensei will spend this time productively," Uro says. "Sensei will leave a beetle here to keep an eye on you three just in case."

"What's with that baby talk?" I say.

"Understood, Sensei!" Shisui chuckles. "With the three of us, we can do anything!"

"Devil-princess, considering your... prowess in ice cream making, this is your portion of the order." I hand her the copied paper with her portion circled in red ink.

Nahime narrows her eyes. "There is only one order circled."

"Yeah, but it's the hardest one to do. Kid has a citrus and gluten allergy, with mild indigestion from dairy."

"Why is the child eating here of all places?"

"Why did mankind eat the forbidden fruit?"

"What?"

"Huh?"

Take-two (Shisui's name after the whole 'Clone Me' didn't go over well; a pun on _takenaka_ and _ni_ for two) is already swooping from ice cream container to ice cream container, getting started with his twenty ice cream cups. My "break" is helping Shisui create his first, decent ice cream cup.

"Are these cubed oranges?" says he, picking up dried pineapple cubes.

"Do you not drink orange juice?"

"Not really."

"Then, no," I say flatly.

It comes out pretty good. Not perfect, but sometimes a shoddy job works good.

I supervise Shisui as he makes some more cups. Near the end of his portion, I glance back to see Nahime with a ruler, protractor, and balance as she lines up her purple scoop of ice cream.

 _What's the protractor used for?_ Shortly before thinking, _We_ have _protractors? Have I ever used one_?

The order is successfully completed, even for the kid who really should not be eating at an ice cream shop. The store closes soon after Uro appears. We lock up and take yet _another_ mission report.

" _Name: ... Date: ... Registration Number: ..._

" _Mission Name: ... Level of Completed Mission: ..._

" _Explain mission with a minimum of 100 words. Be as specific as possible. Exempt no mission detail. Return to the Leaf Intelligence Agency where your report will be filed and redacted as necessary. Any forgery of mission reports will be punished with immediate loss of ninja status. ..._

" _Sign and date..._ _Notarize Mission Report..._ "

I can do this in my sleep, I swear.

"Shissan, it's 012885," I tell the boy who had just started fumbling through his pockets. He looks at me and laughs.

"I'm bad with numbers," he repeats.

I've had to remember school lunch IDs, social security numbers, and chemistry's acronyms and numbers (specifically, the Periodic Table of Elements song), and all of the arbitrary dates history is prone to. This registration number is nothing difficult. Plus, I've got an easy number: 012108. I've noticed a lot of Uchiha have a 012 number: Itachi in the main series, Shisui, and me so far. Maybe even Ryou will get a 012 number.

"Takenaka? Er, could you repeat that again?" Shisui grins sheepishly.

I still smell like ice cream while walking home. My body feels drained, and my chakra reserves don't feel too hot. Don't think I'll make it to the hospital tonight. (Oh well, missing one day can't be that bad.)

But once I get halfway across the Uchiha Compound, a familiar chakra distracts me. It's not from my family at all. The warmth belongs to only one person.

Rest is fine, but... I kind of want to not be alone right now. I pursue the trail, unsurprised at who I find at the end.

Obito is training by the pond's edge, flipping through hand seal to hand seal. He takes a deep breath and black smoke comes out.

He's panting now, falling to his knees. My feet are already moving to his side.

"Big Brother?" The gaze that meets mine is slightly unfocused. "Are you okay?"

"It's possible," he pants. "It's possible to do seals one-handed. Once I can do that, I can be a ninja again..."

Oh Pain.

Kakashi's not in the Hidden Leaf Village right now. Instead, he's with Asuma and the Twelve Guardian Ninja. Maybe the lone wolf just needed to get away. He's always had a massive issue with guilt and blame. I thought it was for the best he took a break.

With Rin in the hospital, facing an uncertain future, Obito's all alone. Sure, there's Minato, but I bet he's busy. Kushina isn't dead, but preoccupied with her baby. If Obito relies on me somehow, I'm pretty busy myself.

He's all alone.

I don't want him to become a ninja again. Don't won't him hurt, don't want him broken, don't want him to die. Just leaving him out a job and dream is doing the same, right? Despite the dangers of being a ninja, it makes him happy. Makes me happy too, in a way. I can't just let him suffer.

Why do you do this to me, Obito Uchiha? Other than Itachi, you're the only person that I can't help but to feel strongly for. It's only been five years since we've met, right?

I remember racing through the depths of night to get to you, having forgot all about you during my recent entry into this world.

You were here, eleven and ready to take on the Chuunin Exams. Ready to mentor _me_ , to become Rin's boyfriend—it lingered in my mind: you coming back from part two of the exams injured but still fighting.

The way you nearly ruined my fourth birthday with your stunt in Wind. Shielding Rin and Kakashi from an explosion, fully realizing you could have _died_ that day. The nasty scar that covered your face just like Tobi.

Even now, I can see the lighter pigmentation of the new skin.

You couldn't stand it when I killed people who would hurt you. You ran into a burning building to save me all by yourself.

I cut off your entire arm, despite it not being necessary— you would have been fine if less were removed, but I was panicking, only thinking of Madara.

 _It's like we're in some kind of abusive relationship_ , a part of me thinks. _Shit, am_ **I** _the abuser?_

An eerie tranquility falls over me as I say, "How good is your chakra control?"

Obito forces a chuckle.

"Well... back in med school, Kanka-sensei taught me exercises to increase my control." I pluck out a strand of hair and show Obito the thin line with both hands. "When you hold onto one end, the hair droops to the side." I release my top two fingers. The hair droops to the left. "You're going to use your chakra to push up the strand. Once you're more advanced, you can have the strand doing basically _anything_. Sensei says masters can fold complex knots."

Obito looks a little dubious. He wordlessly plucks a hair out and stares at it. After a while, the hair strand lifts up slightly. The teen blows out a breath.

"That's harder than it looks. It's so thin and sensitive. You _sure_ this is gonna help my control?"

Smiling, I pull three more strands and use them all to spell out _yes_ in _hiragana_. Not really difficult considering three of five strokes are nothing more than lines. Still, Obito blanches.

"I wanna do that, too!" He starts to stare at his hair before looking at me. "Oi, Takenaka? Can you do one-handed seals?"

"I've never tried, Big Brother." Half-lie. I mean, I was only four-ish when I hoped to learn two-handed seals, then one-handed, and finally no hands. One-handed seals are super uncommon, but just not as useful as the rare no-handed seals.

"But if you can do that fancy trick, can't you do one-handed seals?"

"Er..."

My right hand is my dominant hand. I decide to use that. It feels awkward having to make the seals without the addition of leftie. I focus on molding the chakra the same exact way, though; it's a bit more challenging now that my system isn't on autopilot.

At the end, I convert my stolen fire energy into my mouth and a small blue fireball escapes.

Huh.

" _Argh_! You're just too talented! Big Brother Obito needs to catch up, you know! Geez!" Obito goes back to intently glaring at his hair. I can only chuckle.

I can do something like _that_. It's not impossible. It's _nowhere_ near as fast as Haku, but it's not an impossibility anymore. I can't really see the advantage of flaunting my ability, so I decide to use both hands still.

After the fear fades away, something tight wraps around my chest like a snug blanket. It intensifies when I watch Obito. The boy's now so much more motivated. If this keeps up, he'll be able to get a decent job. He won't have to wander the clan unemployed and bored.

And Rin...

He'll get the happy end he deserved in this world.

:.

Weekends are my days off from Team 11. I spend the morning helping Mother and doing simple chores with Itachi before leaving for residency training.

Since starting, I've developed two incomes. The salary's nothing to write home about, just a low C-Rank before tax. I decided to budget twenty percent to go directly into the Uchiha Treasury, because that sum amount is just not going to cut it.

Residency training, as with any education post-grad, really treats me like an adult. Basically, med school teaches biology, chemistry, physiology, and the fundamental medical knowledge. It's a college degree plus med school all at once in half the time.

The con is the hour requirements. Residency training is useless for field medics because it strictly trains in a stationary medic environment. A field medic should just graduate medical school and go on to a prestigious internship with credible field medics for a year or two. Not this. But where field medics opt for shortcuts, combat, and fastest healing times, stationary medics are more critical, cautious, and learn more in-depth overall.

My training hours are usually noon till nine or ten. If I miss any weekday hours, I have to make them up on weekends or holidays. A resident is supposed to work nine-to-five with overtime pay, but obviously most residents aren't field medics.

This training ensures I'll become an official doctor able to work in almost any hospital. Before this is the post-grad year where I'm still monitored to make sure I'm doing my duties properly, and to get me the required qualifications, recommendation letters, and resume. Any medic at this point is _basically_ a nurse. Not a bad thing, considering how involved nurses are in a patient's well-being. A nurse can even be as influential as some doctors.

But the medic is still a nurse in the hierarchy. Like how a Genin only has access to D-Ranks and a rare C-Rank, a nurse doesn't have enough influence or power as a doctor has.

Ergo, residency training. In these three years, I intend to specialize in chakra, but all residents are required to expand beyond the basics taught in med school. So I still have a few general education requirements.

Uma teaches a dozen residents, featuring eight Yuami. No surprise they end up performing perfectly. They automatically hate me, probably because they're doing this at fourteen and I'm nine.

So far, the only person not intimated by me is a girl named Megumi. Her brown hair is just as thin and limp as mine, stopping just above her shoulders. She always wears an oversized tee shirt with a V-neck cut that drapes down to the mesh undershirt peeking over her chest. Her "nonexistent chest", as she likes to say. The white is a bluish shade compared to her white coat. And to save my eyes the trouble, the athletic tights she wears are completely black.

I think she's cool not just because she's pretty calm, but because her voice is deep for a girl. Definitely not masculine, but enough for me to confuse her for a boy if I don't see her.

"Did you know that kid?" Megumi picks up her shirt to dig in her pocket.

"Yup, that's Hiyori, alright," I grin. We had just finished surgery on him. Right now, he's one of five patients we're doing research on. "He's probably thirteen—but looks younger, right?"

" _Mhh_ ," she hums, watching a cloud drift by before leaning against the wall and exposing the cigarette in hand. "Light it?"

Not the way I planned to use my Fire Release.

If someone looked hard enough, maybe they'll see the blue smoke from behind the storage building. Not likely, though.

"It's funny how you're a doctor and you know how bad it is," I say.

"If my life stops being so stressed out, I'd quit. I don't wanna walk around here a nervous wreck. You're lucky with your eight hours. I'm lucky if I get two hours of sleep." Once she finished speaking, Megumi puts the stick right back inside her mouth.

"There's better addictions out there, though," I mumble after a while.

"Hm? Well, what's yours? Everybody's got one."

"I don't have an addiction."

"Disorder? I bet you have insomnia."

My heart leaps into my throat. "What?"

Megumi points to her eyes. "Don't people wear those eye masks because they have sleep problems?"

"Well, yes, but that's not the reason I wear mine."

"Oh? So, take it off and lemme see your perfect eyes," she says with a flirty wink.

I turn away. "Megumi, no."

I seriously underestimate her. She's not a Genin, meaning she's not a field medic, just a stationary one. Even so, she still needs great prowess to get this far, so I'm surprised to see _earth_ tear from the ground and pin everything from my waist down to my toes.

In my moment of surprise, Megumi snags Toko's superhero eyemask and peers at me.

"Wow," she says, "you really need eye serum."

The blood's being cut off from my legs, my face is hot, I'm starting to get a little dizzy. "Megumi! Give it back! Not funny... What's _eye serum_?"

"Just a beauty treatment. A charcoal eye serum is great for dark circles. So's oatmeal and cucumbers." She obeys and cancels the technique.

I don't speak. Once Megumi drops the stick and stomps on it, she says, "Why do you have insomnia?"

I can't stay mad. "Who knows? Been like this for years. I'm used to it."

"You usually get that stuff if you're depressed or got massive anxiety. You depressed?"

"I... don't think so."

"Got stress?"

I sigh. "Just a little."

Megumi's snort turns into brief laughter. "If that's what you call 'little', then I think the world has to be crumbling beneath you before you'll admit you're stressed. C'mon, kid."

She pats my head (as if I'm just a puppy) and leads the way back. No sooner than we're inside the cool building, our classmate runs up to us.

"There you are! Be more responsible, will you?" He pauses, sniffs, and recoils. "Smoking, again. Don't you dare get our patients sick with your nasty habit."

Megumi stuffs her fists in her coat pockets. "Did you need me for something more important than this?"

The boy pinches his nose shut. "Uma-sensei needs to see your research papers. You incorrectly cited your work. He says if you publish that, you'll lose your career to plagiarism."

Megumi looks at me. "Internal citations. I _know_."

I feel her. I can't stand writing papers.

"Alrighty, I'll talk to Uma-sensei. No need to be so flustered, Hoshi." Megumi waves dismissively as she saunters to Uma's office.

" _Ushi_! It's _Ushi_!" He growls knowing Megumi probably didn't hear him.

"Got news for me?" I say.

"Make like an intern and get to throwing away papers," says the Yuami in a superior tone. "Should be child's play for a child."

I hold up my red and white lanyard, let my ID dangle before him. "You and I both know I'm not an intern."

The boy glares and walks off. Real mature.

"Takenaka Uchiha!"

To my shock it's Homura Hyuuga, in normal clothes. His hair is whiter than his eyes, trails down his back like a milk waterfall. A milkfall.

"Homura-sensei," I bow respectfully.

"Sonzai and I have been doing research regarding those _kikaichuu_ -esque insects from Garden Village. We need you and your team to investigate the scene. The mission will be classified as a C-Rank and will be put on hold until your teacher approves."

 _Oh, so cool_ followed by _Oh, not so cool_.

"I have no clue when she'll let us take on a C-Rank," I shrug. "She's so picky we get enough experience."

"Are you not talented for your age? Or are your teammates holding you back? There must be some reason. You'd do best to find and eliminate the problem. We cannot continue further with Hiyori's case if we do not have a sample."

Homura then walks off without so much as a goodbye. I'm so close to a C-Rank. If I can take on this C-Rank, I can prove myself I _am_ talented. I'll do it flawlessly. I'll make it hard for the mission desk officers to give me a D-Rank.

I'm completely energized... but can only do mundane tasks around the hospital. I try to keep myself calm. But in the middle of opening a wheelchair for a leaving patient, I cut the palm of my hand wide open. I heal it before too much blood hits the ground and scares the patient, though not all the way due to my low reserves.

I'm a bit embarrassed. I wrap a cloth around my hand and get through training without anyone noticing. It's nine when I make my escape and head home. Now that some time has passed, my hand _burns_.

My next problem arises when I get home. Opening the door without being able to use my dominant hand is annoying. I nudge open the obstacle part-way, use my heel to open it all the way. Closing it is easy enough. So is kicking off my shoes.

By now, more blood begins to seep from the wound. The white cloth is turning a dark red from a blossoming dot. I don't really want to try healing it. It's not as if it's a fatal injury.

"Big Brother didn't say 'I'm home'. Even so, I'll say welcome back," is a voice neat for being a seven-year-old, babyish accent almost completely gone.

"Hello, Itachan! How are...?" I trial off as I look at the boy. He's dragging a bag full of something. It doesn't look particularly heavy for its large size. "What are you doing?"

"Ah, throwing away papers I use for Sealing Techniques," he says nonchalantly.

"You gave up on Sealing Techniques?" Which is a shock to me. I don't see him as the quitting type. Did I change him _that_ badly?

Thankfully, he starts shaking his head. "It's currently too dangerous."

"Dangerous?" Is he learning complex seals? Forbidden? I want to stop him, but Itachi _needs_ to learn this stuff. He could be a back up idea to help save Rin. At any rate, my brother needs something to excel in.

So I smile at him. "Be careful, Itachan!"

:.

I leap off the last building and hit the ground with a roll. I'm the first at the playground. I plant my butt on a swingset and start swinging. When I was a kid, I was scared to jump off these guys. I was terrified the mulch would stab me and kill me when I fell on it. All my friends called me such a baby, a loser.

I remember how they would tease me, be it throwing my school supplies in the trash and forcing me to dig for it... or hitting me whenever the teacher wasn't looking.

Every time I'd fight back, the majority of the class sided with the bullies. _Every time_.

I was punished. My parents thought their kid was cruel.

I thought I'd die poor and alone.

Huh, it did come true.

I'm _here_ , aren't I?

"Oi, Takenaka!"

Shisui is smiling as he jogs to me. I let go of the seat as I swing forwards and let momentum propel me. It is child's play to land without breaking anything. "Shissan!"

"Huh? 'Shissan'...?"

"That's your new nickname," I grin. "You've become an important person. Important people receive a nickname."

"Like Itachi..." I've made his morning better. "Thanks!"

I look behind him to see Nahime walking to us, slow and elegant. She stares me down, honey eyes narrowed. Once Team 11 is all here, it's easy to notice a kind of barrier between us.

"How about we go walking through the village tonight, Shissan?"

"You don't work this evening?"

"Nope!" I lie.

Shisui turns to Nahime. "Wouldn't Nahime also like to join us?"

"I apologize," she apologizes, not sounding sorry at all. "I will be busy this evening."

"Ah," Shisui says, still grinning. "We can meet up next weekend, then. We'll have plenty of time to get to know one another better."

I take the delusional boy's shoulder and can only squeeze it in response. By the look on his face, he doesn't understand I'm trying to send him _abort the mission_ vibes. Shortly after, our teacher lands next to us in a near silent crouch. She stands and readjusts her jacket.

"No mission for today," Uro tells us. "I've gotten enough data on you three."

"Huh?" we all say in unison.

"What about the mission you gave us before we were a team?" I say. _The illusion?_

"That was a character assessment, not a tactical assessment. I've finished my introspection with the latter."

"What did you find, Uro-sensei?" I urge her with my hand to keep her talking.

"What did most of the D-Rank missions have in common?" Uro fires a question right back.

 _They were stupid_ —

Nahime steps forward, saying, "Reconnaissance and search missions, right?"

"What's with that quick response," I ask, keeping up the growing chain of questions. Makes sense. Searching for missing toys, missing tests papers from the Academy, helping a fruit vendor spy on his competition, and other things. There really was a theme.

"Essentially, those D-Ranks established the roles you'll be following once we take on more serious missions."

She gestures to Shisui with an open-hand. "Naturally, Shisui's diplomatic nature gives him the opportunity to use social exploitation. It will mostly be his job to retrieve information from people themselves, be it questioning or observing their body language."

Shisui watches her with his mouth slightly parted. I push up his chin to close it, saying, "But, I like talking to people. I'm really good at reading them!"

"That is true, but it is not your strongest ability and not nearly as strong as Shisui's," she shoots me down. "You are too haste in making judgments of others and fail to see alternative interpretations."

Isn't that because I don't _need_ an interpretation because I already know it? For once, I sulk like a child would.

"Nahime," Uro says in one breath, "you posses an attunedness to nature and animals that will make it easier to track targets. Plus, you are very good at deception and pretending you are someone you are not. You will be excellent for disguising."

"Yes, Uro-sensei," she says politely, but it feels forced.

"Takenaka," Uro looks at me, eyes protected by her bang, "you are a perceptive fellow. You have an excellent nose, human tracking skills, survival skills, and an outstanding sense of direction. You are most fitted guiding your team across unfamiliar terrain or to their target."

Huh.

That's all?

Lackluster. I thought I was better.

"Eh," I grunt.

"Ah? What's with that response? You _are_ good at that."

"No, no, I'm not complaining," I wave my hand dismissively. "I'll be the best tracker thing I can, okay, Uro-sensei?"

A prodigy can do something like that: be the best in whatever they do.

My mind is already pinning for a human target nigh impossible to track down: an S-Rank shinobi and a Root agent. If I can track them down, I'll definitely be gifted.

I can tell Uro isn't all that convinced by my tone, but she changes the topic. "Naturally, I will have to train you all to the roles you're already accustomed to. They will become much more formidable."

Her open palm sweeps across the empty playground. "The exercise is simple: there is a missing child, and there are fifteen parents with a clue as to where the child was last seen. Your goal is to find the child—preferably before he can hurt himself."

As she speaks, her beetles crawl out from under her skin and fly a good distance before morphing into a person. The people they form don't appear real. Their skin is too pale and eyes too empty.

"Genjutsu," she explains.

"You do that a lot," I state.

"It is to be expected," says my teacher. "We are simply a tracking team; we do not need offensive techniques to get by."

 _Hum._ Something clicks in my memory.

I thought an Aburame _can't_ use any chakra technique because of their insects? Something about... the beetles consuming that energy? Maybe I'm not remembering correctly (I can't say I paid much attention to Shino), but no Aburame has used any technique beyond their insects, right?

But Uro isn't a typical Aburame as well. An Aburame conceals, not flaunts their cleavage and thighs. I'm sure they don't wear piercings, either.

 _Argh, focus focus focus_. I have to prove myself. Reality comes first.

Uro disappears, leaving us three alone.

"We should ask the people!" Shisui says, tensed, giving into Uro's words. "The clue should definitely be there!"

"Just because she mentioned you were a people person doesn't mean she'll give us a way out that easily," I break the news. "It's likely the people will contradict, leaving us nowhere. Or, we'll just narrow our results down to an area."

"I think it's more likely we are supposed to use a combination of our skills," Nahime butts in. "Working separate, we can cover more ground in a shorter time."

"That's perfect," I exclaim, "if this were Team Devil-princess! We're Team 11. We have to work together despite having certain strengths. I mean, _honestly_ , don't our skills overlap? I'm a people person _and_ I can deceive people. Shisui's got some talent in human tracking. Devil-princess is a people person, so long as the person doesn't have Uchiha in their name."

"So _what_ is your aim?" hisses the little girl. "Are you jealous Shisui has better social skills than you? _More acclimated than the boy who was kept away from society for seven years_?"

Why does she remember the Legendary Child January Examination—screw that name—now of all times, the witch?

"I wasn't always kept locked away, princess. I still did things with society."

"You mean with Uchiha? Because they are all so well adapted to society."

"You two, stop!" Shisui steps in between us. My anger wavers looking at him. "This doesn't look good. The moment Sensei leaves, we're falling apart."

"Right, I'll be the mature one." (Because arguing with a child is so mature.) "I'm just being coy—I'm saying we should all use Shissan's strength to get a reaction. People are freaking weird. They will respond differently according to our varying strengths. We can catch something the other missed."

"So... you're saying you're treating this as a scientific experiment?" says the boy. "Like... with different trials and observations? Then you'll pick the best hypothesis, right?"

"Something like that."

"That seems pointless. Why not just use specialization, the most efficient thing produced by man?" Nahime says, apparently an economics major now. "Even in professional ninja teams, individual members specialize in their strengths."

"Because that doesn't _work_ on people. Unless you're a Yamanaka, you can only get the truth through whatever the person says," I stress. "I don't have **a reputation to waste** time to waste following the wrong advice. We go that route and continue."

"It makes sense," Shisui says, about as obvious a polite person can be. He likes my idea.

"This is stupid," Nahime scowls. "You understand this would not be acceptable on an actual mission, correct?"

"Course I do. Reality isn't made of bugs pretending to be human in a puppet world constructed by a biased god to specifically test us," I say in one breath. Then I shrug. "But, religion begs to differ."

So, we all begin to question the insect-people, recording our results. It takes more time than using only Shisui, but the data is more accurate.

"Bug 10 supposedly narrows down the area to over there, but when Nahime talked to Bug 10, our spot actually narrows down to over there," I'm mumbling.

"Somebody's lying," says Shisui, pained.

"That's fine for now. We have two spots to look at." I stop my hand from rippling my knuckles and ignore the threat of time. "A playground is a horrible place to track. There's no set equilibrium, so there's no real environmental cues to gauge anything. Everything has been recently disturbed. My only hope is by scent or by miracle."

Or by Sharingan. Honestly, those eyes would have gave me his chakra blob and this would have been over in seconds.

"Ah," Shisui starts, "you don't have a personal item or—or something to track his smell!"

I can't stop my smile. "Shissan, I'm not a bloodhound. I have my human ways."

His face turns a light red. "Oh..."

My human ways include sending a burst of chakra to my olfactory system. The aromas of the world are annoying. I feel like I'd constantly be sneezing.

The playground is coated with folks, food, and feces smells. The scent of rubber tickles the back of my throat. The rain-washed metal smells heavy and covered in water smells. Without a narrowed location, I doubt I could easily find a boy.

Turns out Bug 10 lied. The second location holds a very fresh scent—fresh meaning more overpowering of other fading scents. I follow the trail of boy and food until I get to a slide. From the holes on the metal (why does playground equipment have holes?), I can see a pair of small feet.

Shisui and Nahime had been following me in wonder. "Found our target. But... you think he'll just let me sieze him, a stranger?"

"If you gave him food, I'm sure..." but he trails off seeing Nahime step forward. At once, she turns into a chubby kid no older than five. Thus she enters the scene. We're treated to a view of two pairs of shoes.

Time passes.

"I didn't know Nahime was good with children," Shisui smiles.

"Oh, please. We know nothing about her."

"Well... we know she's Nahime Mino of the Mino Clan. She's the heiress and devoted to that spot."

"She's never had birthday parties, hates Uchiha, isn't very selfless..."

I decide to consult the library. If I find some information about her, maybe I can understand where she's coming from with this hatred. I _seriously_ think she'd be the one to kill me on a mission.

Nahime returns as her normal self soon after. "Finished."

"Really? Why do you look that?" I squint my eyes at her.

"Like what?"

"Pissed. That your normal state?"

Uro manifests just before Nahime gets ready to throw punches. "Good job, team. You played to your roles. They are already good, but my duty is to make you three flawless. Do you think we can manage that?"

"Yes, Sensei," we speak in unison.

"Good. Naturally, you three are dismissed for today."

I'm leaping off the playground as the people turn back into bugs. My energy shifts within me—so the sky _is_ cloudy and not perfectly clear. I'd marvel longer, but I have a task to do.

I make to the Leaf Library. But on its double doors is a gigantic CLOSED sign.

"What the hell?" I touch the sign. It's legit. It's real. "Since when are you closed in the middle of the day?"

"Lib'ary's closed," says a voice behind me. He looks like a very young adult, slouched on another building's wall, a needle resting in his mouth. Despite the heat, he chooses to wear a coat on top his Chuunin vest. "Gonna be closed for a while."

I walk to him and glance back at the library. "Do you know why?"

He hunches his shoulders. "Hokage-sama's orders. That place is way dangerous, he said. Not exactly in that way, though."

We both seem kind of weird with our forehead protectors. He wears his as a bandanna on top his head and mine is a sash.

"The knowledge in the library is kept under wraps," I say uncertainly. _Is_ that the issue here?

"Nobody's stole any knowledge. It's something else. Dunno what. But, just stay away from that place, kiddo."

"Well... is Hokage-sama alright? He's never really at the mission desk."

"Man, they don't tell Genin much, huh? Gotta love them secrecy rules. Hokage-sama's recovering. It's nothing too bad. I wouldn't worry."

The reassuring smile he makes does not light up his dark, thin eyes.

Nahime's history is going to have to wait. A heavy unease settles within me.

:.

Tonight is my fifth meeting. These meetings are hosted inside Uchiha grounds, within a building dripping with protection and privacy seals. From outside, the building seems too small to host so many shinobi, but the true building is underground, expanding into a huge auditorium.

Without the lights, the auditorium would be pitch black. Seats are broken into four sections. By "seats", I mean a thin blanket, because we all must sit _seiza_ for the entire duration. A _seiza_ requires one to sit with their legs folded underneath them. After thirty minutes, my legs grow numb. In an hour, they're either painfully pricking me to death or I can't feel them at all.

I always get killer soreness if our meetings go on for too long.

I'm not supposed to sit at the front, the area where Father and a few of the Uchiha elite I saw in the Keep the Peace meetings. They, too, sit _seiza_ as they look out among us. I'm supposed to "earn my way" to the front as did Father. Not sure if he means become an elite or wait until I'm the leader, but I don't really want to. Usually, I'm either stressing out about how many hours residency I have to make, exhausted from training, or annoyed at the ignorance of some people.

I do sit in the first row, in the middle of the sections, between two Uchiha kunoichi. Shisui sits ten rows back in the center, next to a legless with a haunting gaze.

"Here," says the kunoichi woman. Her clothes are the epitome of femininity and sportswear, her black hair shines a dark blue color. In her hand, a white fan _tsukkomi_ use.

I take it. "Thank you."

"No problem," she hums.

I watch Father talk very softly about something with the other members in the front before we start.

"Kaede... isn't it?" I say.

She arcs a brow at me. "Have we met before?"

"No, your name proceeds you, is all." Of course I had to learn a few names of some of the most important Uchiha. "You're a detective at the Force, right?"

"Correct."

"Don't you think something strange is happening with the Leaf? Everything's becoming weird. Well, weirder."

"It's nothing as weird as New Years," she states. "We're still trying to come to terms with that."

" _This_ New Years?"

Just a little under six months ago, this New Years was odd. There was a very thick, heavy, hot fog that reduced visibility to zero. It came at night: an impenetrable blackness moving at a crawl. Many were stumbling around the Leaf without sight to rely on—I was, too. Only the Inuzuka Clan could guide everyone home, as their noses had not been compromised. And as I was too close to my family, I couldn't switch on my Sharingan, my _matured_ Sharingan, rather.

That was the only time the festival had been cancelled. It was crazy.

"That's weird, too. That coincided on Naruto's first birthday." His new birthday. I'm not a happened sure what happened to Kushina, but their child was born on New Years via induced labor—not October tenth. Maybe it was a political thing or maybe there were complications—I don't know. That's not public knowledge.

"Ah, but the hint's in the name: _coincidence_. New Years is more important than the Fourth's kid. Not to mention no one knew he existed until six months ago. No, it's likely it was a prank. Unfunny, at that."

I open my mouth to reply, but Father is making the hand sign for silence. Any disruptions is due for an automatic removal and possible suspension.

"But don't worry about that," Kaede whispers. "The adults are handling it."

"By the edict of Fugaku Uchiha," announces Father, cutting through the silent air, "the Uchiha Clan meeting shall begin. First to speak is Yashiro Uchiha."

 _Yashiro_ , eh? That man was my teacher a long, long time ago. He didn't take his role seriously, often skipping our meetings, but whenever he did show up, it was accompanied by a terrible mood and homework.

Yashiro's lessons were basically all about the Uchiha. A broad, optimistic picture. He told me about Madara (idealized up until his departure) and early Uchiha Clan roots. He taught me Uchiha quotes and artworks, et cetera.

The white-haired man sits before the entirety of the clan, frowning angrily.

"I propose a revision of the fiscal year to fund the Police Force," begins he, one of the most elite and influential Uchiha. "I believe Uchiha-branded objects and rent should increase. The Leaf refuses to give us money to support the system."

"They want us to fail," cuts in a voice from the crowd, starting murmurs throughout.

"We won't give them the satisfaction," Father says.

"Perhaps we should boycott the Leaf's missions, stick to the assignments task to us via the Force," says another elite member sitting right of Father. "They say absence makes the heart grow fonder."

"Not everyone relies on the Force salary." Yashiro waves his hand in front of his face, as if wiping away the suggestion. The crowd agrees.

"That's true, however!" A voice bursts from the crowd, from a man standing on the tips of his toes to get his message out. "However... the Leaf won't like it if our newest Genin didn't participate. Takenaka-sama and Shisui- _kun_ , right? The prodigies?"

I look away and stare at my knees. My face heats up and grows cold simultaneously, an _interesting_ sensation. I haven't been name-dropped in a meeting. So bizarre to think this many people know I exist whereas I can't even guess _their_ names.

 _Woah. Wait._ Prodigies _?_

"The Leaf would not care," Father says dispassionately. "The two have not received a mission higher than a D-Rank."

Angry mumblings. The auditorium's boiling atmosphere starts to make me uncomfortable.

"It's almost been three months, since they've graduated. I seen new Genin like them take on a C-Rank or two."

"Why do we have to suffer? Nothing good can come from this village."

"Fugaku-sama, can we really call this place home?"

The anger, the astonishment, the desperation of every Uchiha clansmen rests on my Father's shoulders. It exhausts me having to prove the Uchiha name to one girl.

I'm supposed to share _his_ fate one day.

I sigh just as the disapproval grows louder.

 _I guess it's not too early to start..._

So, I'm rising to my feet trying to ignore the pain and numbness and saying, "Listen for a minute, please."

I'm ninety-nine percent sure people only shut up because a nine-year-old never had the guts to blatantly interrupt adults. I keep my eyes to the mass of faces all so similar, blurring together.

"It's alright to be angry and upset—we've got every right to be, am I right?"

I slowly lift up my open palms, trying my hardest to not offend such a passionate group of people. Karada-sensei, don't fail me now.

"Naturally... we should do something. Fight back."

I hear a few mumbles of agreement. Okay.

"But this isn't a fight that can be won by swords and blood. No, that's what the Leaf _wants_. History is decided by the victor and though we are mighty, Leaf's gonna do everything possible to defeat us. And as we lie in the open to rot outside of graves, they will paint us as psychotic and responsible for creating a revolt when no problems existed. With already distorted views of us, people will agree. Even if it sounds fishy, they'll still believe it because that's what they're conditioned to expect from us."

As I speak, I can't help but to see a blood-stained Itachi standing hauntingly serene in a sea of red.

There is silence. A tense silence.

That pause when a parent yells at a their child.

"No... no, to win this war, we need the opposite. It's not as pretty as blades and blood, but it will ensure that the Uchiha Clan will be greatest of all," I embellish a bit. "We inconvenience the Leaf. Who in this family has the greatest connection to the Fourth Hokage? _Obito Uchiha_. We get to the Hokage through him. Make the Fourth start to praise us, help us, prove to the people we deserve respect."

"Obito Uchiha? He's not a ninja," is a quiet response.

"Hasn't he gone crazy? Is he even reliable?"

"He is," I smile. "Just not in the way you'd expect. Big Brother is the greatest person to fall on when times are tough. We all saw his win during the Chuunin Exams, right?"

"Yeah... after Fugaku-sama's son shouted."

 _Shouted_?

" _Can_ Takenaka-sama convince Obito?"

"Huh. He's on to something," Kaede says softly.

"Fugaku-sama, what do you think?"

Bit by bit, their voices rise until most of them room is energetic. They're questioning Father, who has his eyes shut tight. After forever, he opens them.

Cool blacks stare at me, unreadable.

"I must think this over," Father says, ending the questioning.

The meeting passes by in a blur. My heart still thunders in my chest. Father and I are one of the last Uchiha to leave. He says nothing as I walk by his side, indicating this is a private conversation.

Likewise, when we arrive home, Father stays curt and denies me dinner. We march right up into my room, with him shutting the door.

My room is a mess. Like my life.

"Father," I say, "I understand I spoke out of turn, but, you know, this is my family as much as it is yours. Okay? I don't want to see anymore death."

"Takenaka."

"I'm serious! Itachi nor Ryou should ever have to see what I faced at Kanegasaki—the Third War, even! We're both men, here, Father! We're supposed to protect our family and causing some dumbass _coup_ is not protecting!"

" **Silence**."

My body freezes up, my mouth is shut.

Father does not say a word for many seconds. The silence is broken with a shake of his head and the rustle of papers moved out of the way for him to sit.

"Your idea is very, very immature, but it has obvious potential." Father skims the papers with my scrawled, barely coherent notes. "We should use Obito to get the Uchiha the future we deserve. Since his teammates are out of action, you are the only person he relies on."

If Obito heard this... thank Pain Obito hates meetings.

"Perhaps we can get Obito a spot as one of the Fourth's bodyguards, provided he can enter the shinobi ranks with his missing arm." Father's eyes shine with an ingenious glint. "Is it out of your potential to create prosthetics?"

"N-No... no, but the time I spent on creating that, I can train Obito..." My words are sloppy and unconfident.

"If you can, do so. Whichever is most efficient. After all, because you introduced this plan without thinking, the clan eagerly awaits the job their future leader will do."

Ouch.

"Yeah," I say.

"Get Obito into the career again. I'll use my influence to get him the bodyguard job, likely for the Fourth's legacy. For then on, we can direct the Fourth's interpretations of the Uchiha Clan in our favor. I expect this to span some years, however. It would advantageous if you, as well, gained some power and influence," Father adds slyly.

I'm nodding. "Sure..."

"What's wrong? This was your plan. Why do you sound so unenthusiastic?"

"I don't know. This is for the good of the clan." And so I throw on a fake smile. "Thank you for listening to me! I won't let you down!"

As soon as he's gone, I climb under my covers, appetite over somewhere near Saturn's rings.

The hell am I so gloomy about this? This is good news. My clan won't fight. Nobody dies.

Obito won't even get hurt. He'll become the ninja he wanted to be.

Why can't I be excited?

Must be puberty. Stupid mood swings.

I can do this. I won't let this opportunity go to waste. I said I'm going to change my clan and I _will_.

Just sucks, a little, when the future of the Uchiha Clan is declaring this under his covers, moody and lonely.

.: **TWO END** :.

* * *

I'm such a noob writer. I forget dialogue tags aren't always necessary. Since I have 50+ reviews to respond to, I'll PM typed responses starting this week. Also, this chapter concludes the current arc. Thanks for the warm response~.

-3 Jul 2018


	20. THREE

**A Measure of Darkness**

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." Reincarnation!OC

— Robert Frost, _Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening_

* * *

 **THREE**

 _ **A Measure of Darkness**_

 _The Red Eyed Man: The Paper Boy_

* * *

For a split second, Kanka's dumbstruck face nearly has me laughing. But it turns to anger, which as me flinching instead. "Just what is _this_?"

The paper has the words written in bold, giant lettering and the old woman _can_ read—even though she may not have 20/20 vision. She understands what's happening and then there's the denial that won't let her comprehend.

Okay. I expected this not to be easy.

"In lieu of recent events, I've become way too busy," I start, hands behind my back to hide my nervousness. "Rather than let my grades suffer, I've decided to request academic leave."

"Why did you go and graduate, huh? You wouldn't have been stressed. You could've completed both programs by twelve, you know!"

"Personal reasons," I say.

Kanka has to take several deep breaths. "Listen. I am still the one affording your education. I can grant you leave for five years or up until the year you become Chuunin. By then, the rank automatically implies you can handle the workload."

"Yes, Sensei." That was spelled out in the student handbook, albeit in slightly legal terms.

"You'll have to pay me stipend for not continuing immediate education. If you default on me, consider my generosity gone. You'll pay for all of your years here with your own cash in six months."

"That seems fair."

The old woman sighs. "Well then, it'll be somewhat less interesting having you on board, for all the trouble you're worth. Don't expect for the punishment to be on hold, either."

I wince. "About that, I was hoping you could pause it—just temporarily, you know?"

" _No_ , you are misunderstanding the point of it. You committed unsupervised and unauthorized medical service that was not taught to you. If Ike had died, there was _no way_ I could attempt to keep you on the team. It was because he survived that I was able to play it off as a statement of your talent.

"The Yuami practically own this hospital if it were based on how many members of a certain clan worked here. It's unanimous that you not be a ninja. Partially because you make them look bad, the clan without a prodigy medic in decades. Partially because you are an Uchiha."

Something about that last sentence rubs me the wrong way. It's like someone's dropped a lit match onto gasoline.

" _Uchiha_ , _Uchiha_ —that's just everyone's excuse," I mutter. "Nobody really cares about my family no matter how useful we try to be. It's not enough. Our predecessors have tainted the name."

"...not everyone despises you lot." Kanka's eyes are constantly moving, as if nervous. "I worked for you all, not just for the pay. Don't sell us villagers short."

"I understand. I'll still finish out my malpractice punishment as a simple medic. Have a good day."

Kanka gives me further information about payments. Seeing all those zeroes... well, this break can't last long. To say the least.

It feels weird not being able to wear my lanyard and white coat. I think about telling Uma of my leave, but I think seeing his face will only complicate whatever this feeling is within me.

Now I have more time in a day to get things done. Now I have money in the bank to increase my skills.

Goal one: help Obito Uchiha become a ninja again.

Goal two: find a way to save Rin.

Goal three: physical ninja training.

I'm not sure where Obito is as his chakra isn't in the compound, so I go up to my room and make progress on Rin. I grab a notebook and a pen and start tapping the latter on the book as my thoughts run wild.

The technique I plan to use to save Rin is Sasori's puppet technique. Whatever Sasori did, it's no doubt forbidden. Playing with the balance of life and death always equals forbidden. I won't be able to find information on it easily.

But Sasori's technique seems to rely on one seal—what appears to be a seal. I distinctly remember that cylinder with the purple vein-like things jutting out lying on the rocky floor uselessly. On the end, written a vivid red on white, was a _kanji_ character I now know as _scorpion_.

At the very least, I can create a puppet body. Though, does the technique have to be limited to inanimate objects? Can't a corpse work instead? I can work with human bodies far better than puppets anyway. Even then, the Leaf doesn't have a surplus of puppet specialists, so who's to say Rin will become a good puppet?

Maybe with a human body, Rin won't be so... I guess, traumatized by an un-aging body. Maybe I'll keep what I planned to do a secret from her.

Maybe I can clone her body, so that she'd never, ever know the difference.

"That sounds so creepy," I comment, writing down the last word.

When Itachi comes home from the Academy a few hours later, I decide to bug him for answers. Compared to me, his room is neat and tidy, aside from smell of ancient paper and ink. His clothes are all neatly hung up and washed. His floor is swept.

"I'm glad you don't take after your big brother in this," I grin.

"Good afternoon, too, Big Brother," Itachi greets.

"Hey, Itachan, what do you know about Sealing Techniques? Because I can possibly save a life with your knowledge."

His eyes already lit up hearing my request, but as soon as I mentioned saving a life, his whole body nearly trembles from excitement. I explain the general idea of the seal I need.

"That _is_ way different from Enclose Technique," he says, partially stuck in his thoughts. "That sounds like a very dynamic, multi-purpose seal. Actually, it sounds a little too difficult for a seal to do alone. It'll help if a machine was involved."

 _He's so smart._ "So... where does the seal end, and when does the machine start?"

"A seal can do any function involving closing and opening. It exists in two states only. Enclose Technique involves changing the value of something outside the seal to inside the seal. Unseal Technique involves changing the value of something inside the seal to outside. Does that make sense?"

"Not too complicated." Even so, I provide my brother with a journal and a pencil. "Explain it to me in Layman's terms."

" _Mmn_ , well, let's say you have three things: an object, an interface, and command codes. The object can be either an output or input, meaning it is outside the interface or inside the interface. Big Brother uses the command codes to tell the interface what to do with the object. If Big Brother writes the command code _priority_ in a circle like this and the command code _item_ in the middle of the circle, the interface reads it and understands Big Brother is telling it to change the object from an output to an input."

"Which makes that the Enclose Technique," I say.

"Yup. Changing the object from an input to an output makes it the Unseal Technique."

"Okay. But... can't seals do more than just that?"

"Definitely. That is only the beginnings of sealing. Your seal can do, at the most, seal the chakra and consciousness and unseal the chakra for ninjutsu. If you want to recreate the core's molding of spiritual and physical energies, you'd need a machine and another seal for that."

"Wait, wait, wait—another seal?"

"Yes. This seal would be a minor seal connected to the main seal. The seal feeds directly to and from the main seal. Its purpose is to split up the raw chakra into spiritual and physical. The machine will mold them together and possibly create new chakra like the core does."

Itachi is saying that the main seal will take Rin's chakra and consciousness (don't know how) and seal it. It's sealed up, but not doing anything major. The minor seal shows its face and takes the chakra, divides it into its fundamentals, and hopefully recreates what happens at the core in a regular body.

"Plus," I say, rubbing my head, "I learned in chakra theory that there are a few organs that can simulate chakra reproduction physically. Note that the chakra system's heart lies in the core, which is a metaphysical, untouchable place no one can really observe. The human heart is the best place to recreate the core, _physically_."

Itachi frowns up. "I don't understand...?"

His confusion is too cute. I tap his nose. "Aha! Now, you know how it feels, Itachan! But, I can't complain. It's nice having such a smart brother."

Itachi rubs his nose. "Eh? You're misunderstanding. What went through your mind to create something like this? That's real genius. I have never been this creative..."

"You're _seven_. You have your whole life ahead of you. Relax, huh?"

"Big Brother doesn't relax." But there's a ghost of a smile in his eyes, despite his blank expression.

"Takenaka is Takenaka. Itachi is Itachi. No more comparing. We're totally different people, don't you forget." I pick up the journal. Itachi jotted down a few sketches and ideas. I took notes. "Thank you so much, Itachan. You're amazing."

"Big Brother is amazing, too," he smiles.

I continue to grin as I shut his door, severing our connection. I feel strangely exhausted.

I wonder if Orochimaru got this far? If he's actually using animal test subjects? On paper, ideas seem so easy and feasible. To think that Sasori had no guideline or a person to follow and was still able to create something short of ingenious is phenomenal. He broke the balance of life and death before the Fourth War zombies and whatnot.

He's the true genius.

I toss my notebook in my room and head to the training grounds. In a second, Take-two stands before me, alert and ready.

"Are we doing taijutsu?" he says. "Can I punch you? That's my favorite part."

"No, I'm not practicing that. It wouldn't be that useful yet."

Take-two bends forward. " _Huh_?"

"I'm only nine. I'm taller than most, but girls start puberty soon and are gonna be taller than me for a while. Taijutsu should be used if my opponent isn't an adult or older than me."

"So why am I here?"

"I'm going to spend my time learning something that works regardless of height."

Take-two is more interested than skeptical. "Okay..."

"Weapons Technique." I pull out a shuriken and use Transformation Technique to turn it into a five foot javelin. "Here, a book."

I bought it from the bookstore, shortly before it closed its doors.

" _The Way of Weapons_ ," Take-two reads. "Oh man, look how thick this thing is. And there's dust. How old is this?"

I've thought Spear Techniques were insanely cool after Hakushi and reading this gem of a line:

" _The staff is a paradoxical weapon of defense! In theory and in real life examples (with some inaccuracies), a staffman can indeed defeat two or more swordsmen. It's because of the fact the swordmen must enter the dangerous space created by the staff if they want to hurt the staffman. But due to its difficulty to master, very few swordsmen realize this and many staffmen capitalize on this, leading to short battles._ "

For now, I use a staff a quarter taller than my head and a wooden sword that hurts like a wooden spoon to the rear end. I've always wanted to learn how to use weapons like the _ever epic_ katana.

Even my favorite videogame company planned on releasing a samurai historical-action game, even better than their assassin games. It's a shame I'm not around to see it.

"Oi, part one says you're not supposed to pick up a weapon," Take-two says.

"Eh?" I drop my weapons.

"It says you have to do homework first."

Said homework entails many upper body strength and stamina exercises—far more brutal than the gentle Physical Evaluation the Academy requires. Can't believe I _assumed_ I wouldn't need to do fitness prerequisites before even whacking people with my weaps. Regardless, I make a dent in what the book requires me to do, but I cannot perfectly complete it just yet.

To begin my homework, I warm up with dynamic and static stretches and flexibility exercises first, then strength, and cool down with a nice jog. Afterwards, I begin to practice my Sword Techniques and Staff Techniques _kata_ —my forms.

" _Please do adhere to the honor of raising a sword. Transfer your sword from left to right, signaling you are peaceful. Whatever outcome the battle delivers, preserve your dignity and grace!_ "

The _kata_ starts with the simple, most fundamental strikes: overhead position—a motion like Father casting his fishing rod, horizontal position—directing the blade from east to west and from west to east across the body, and diagonal position from both sides—also like casting a rod, but I stop when my elbows are grazing my stomach. It's so easy to fall into a trap of _all the power ever_ , but the proper technique is to guide the blade. Bad form releases a gross sound in the air as I swing it. Good form releases a quiet hiss.

Then the more complex forms begin with a simple mindset: _mushin_ , the art of "no mind".

No-mind does not imply being mindless, it only serves to guide the ninja's nerves in combat or focus on not letting the mind waver or think unnecessarily. Real masters of this can stare down death, completely chill. I'm not perfect at it for long periods of times, but it's almost like meditation, except I'm still moving and aware.

Once I reach no-mind, I imagine Father standing before me, a casual grip on Sasuke's Kusanagi sword, smirking at me.

"You still have so much to learn, Takenaka," he tsks.

I charge at the phantom, first with quick one-move attacks, requiring the upmost precision called _iaidou_. These attacks are suicide if they don't land and it leaves me open for a—

"Agh..."

I touch the nonexistent cut to the side Father delivered me.

He smirks. "Sloppy, sloppy. You're too eager. Remain calm, focused, but not immobile. Keep your upper body from sagging. Let's resume."

All morning long he deflects and dodges my hits. I start to use my complex, defensive _kata_ that have more room for error in addition to quick, single strikes.

"Do not get into the habit of bad form," Father tells me, mirroring the words Karada _always_ nagged me about. "Even if you fail completely, you still train your muscles properly."

I try to keep my distaste to a minimum and focus on my no-mind.

Staff Techniques are a bit harder, as it requires way more spatial awareness. Using a sword was a learning curve. I still remember how off balanced I felt, knowing my sword's weight was the heaviest near my hands and the blade (albeit wooden) was feather light. Waving my sword around, I felt a disconnect between my movements and what my blade struck.

With a staff, I have two methods of fighting. Either I approach my opponent with a quarterstaff approach and keep the butt of the staff in front of me, or I go for a balanced grip and leave both ends free to hit my opponent. In both cases, the staff is perfectly balanced and, as it whips through the air—a brown blur—I really can't gauge where the staff hits if I were fighting a person.

It gets easier when Take-two starts to fight me, and I can hit something tangible. Though until my brain comprehends where and what I hit, I at least understand which form I need to use in order to hit within a body area I want.

But my accuracy is like the beginning months of my kunai and shuriken training, where I missed the bullseye horribly bad.

In my own free time, I also look at cool weapon hybrids and other basic, generic weapons I would like to learn as well.

Bow and arrow is a good choice. It's sort of like an update on throwing handheld weapons and doesn't require as much sharpening like kunai and shuriken, but the downside is the set up time.

Then there's the hammer and sickle technique that provides the perfect amount of defense in close quarters. At any rate, sometimes fists aren't enough, it's too deadly to use any acrobatic kicks, or a kunai is too close and personal. Here comes in a sickle to disarm or distract the opponent and a hammer to deal crippling blows. A very short set up time, too, but a large learning curve—mainly how one side of the body has to lug such a weapon while the sickle glides through the air as a butter knife.

All in all, weapons come in different sizes and shapes, with varying ranges. It's perfect. As a kid, adults and older ninja are taller than me. Some have more experience, more muscles, more maturity that I just can't beat. Weapons serve to make a match fair.

I keep practicing for long, downright obscene hours just like I used to. Rather than lamenting about my lost downtime, it's really comforting. I feel like I am making progress, however small. It sure beats the anxiety of relaxing in my bed, doing nothing.

To make me feel even better, I catch Obito hard at work trying to train his control. His one-handed seals are not perfect. Doesn't matter. I have never seen this level of control from him. The better the skill, the less chakra he wastes and the longer he can practice. As soon as Obito makes his first technique since Kannabi, is there really anything he can learn from me? That boy is a ninja, true and true. If Jiraiya said a true ninja endures, than Obito doesn't even need to perform a ninjutsu.

 _So cool_ , I grin to myself.

:.

My day starts with Ryou's cries waking me up. Father, caught up with the Police Force, never came home last night, so Mother should be all alone. I decide to help her. She must be exhausted.

When I get to her room, Ryou is already back to sleep. It was a nightmare that woke the two-year-old up. That makes me worried—what is she afraid of so young? When I was two for the _first_ time, I was absolutely fearless and impulsive. And kind of stupid. And nearly killed myself a few times by almost eating rat poisoning and moth balls. I was really dumb.

"I'm so sorry I woke you up," Mother says, smiling apologetically. Now with her first and only girl a bit more independent, Mother looks less tired and more healthy. If this keeps up, she'll be able to work at the Force again, provided Father approves again. "Can you go back to sleep?"

I sit on the chair next to her. Ryou's nursery isn't that decorated just like the rest of the house. It makes the room seem too big in the night shadows. "Nope. How are you, Mother?"

"Hungry," she laughs. "Little Ryou gets food whenever she wants. Mama doesn't have that luxury."

 _Ryou-tan_ is almost as cute as my _Ryorin_.

"I'll make you something, then."

"Takenaka, you're too young to be cooking."

"It won't involve the stove or oven! Just something quick!"

"Okay, okay..."

I return with a fruit salad in my hands. I added whipped cream because my mother is burning through a lot of calories caring for Ryou. The water in the fruits just won't cut it alone.

Mother takes the chopsticks and eat. Ryou is calm.

The silence hardly lasts long. I end up saying, "What if you never had me, Mother?"

"Eh? More of this kind of talking?"

"I just want to know your feelings."

She grabs her black locks and plays with them as she thinks. "I would be very sad. It's been a joy having you as my son. My busy boy who just can't wait to grow up. It's alright to mature, but don't you think you're going a bit too quick? Childhood is important."

"Maybe. But the clan doesn't need a child. It needs a leader."

"Which is your Father's duty."

"Father is a great person, but... even he knows the Uchiha are weakening under his rule. The clan is _my family_. They could all be dead. But they are alive, living plain lives that will get them killed one day."

Mother gives me a disappointed look. "You shouldn't be so negative."

"I'm being realistic!" I put my hands in the air. "I know we aren't the best clan anymore so now's the time to make the Uchiha stronger. Do you believe in me? Do you believe I can do that?"

I'm happy she starts smiling, despite her efforts to stop it. "You are very motivated. If you keep your drive, you'll go on and do great things."

(It's almost as if a part of parenting includes motivational speeches.)

"That's potential. I can _possibly_ save the clan. Not will or can. Do I really seem that unimpressive?"

"It's better if you take smaller steps. A goal such as 'save my clan' is too broad. That can mean anything, and so a failure can be anything. If you have no specific endpoint but generalizations, how can you possibly achieve anything?"

I find I can't speak.

"I say this from experience. I told myself I'd become a good wife and mother, but I soon realized I had no clue how to get that point." She rests her hands over her heart, eyes closed. "That Mikoto who accomplished her goals seemed so impossible to reach. I terrified myself. I nearly ran away from your father and this family because I was convinced I could never be as amazing as that Mikoto."

"You're still here." My voice is low. Unintentionally. "I think you're a good mother."

Mother giggles slightly. "It ended up being Kushina who talked me out of my fears. She can be so simple at times, whereas I tended to overthink and read between lines. I still remembered what she said.

"' _Come on, Michi-chan. You're worrying about nothin. No matter what, you always do your best—didn't that stick-up-his-butt fall in love with you? So stop trying to be this perfect woman because he sure didn't fall in love with a perfect woman. Not in Academy, no way!_ '

"' _But what if expects me to be perfect for him? What if that's what he believes and I let him down?_ '

"' _Then let him down! It's not fair you have to bend over backwards to be perfect for him and all you ask in return is love. If he makes you cry, then he's askin for a beatdown, you hear?_ '

"I still had my worries, but... Fugaku didn't hate me or love me any less because I wasn't perfect. He was relieved, actually, because he was convinced I was an angel gifted in everything and it was beginning to make _him_ feel incompetent."

I can see that happening. A snort gets out before I cover my mouth. The smile, though, continues to form, burning my cheeks.

"I took small, feasible steps like learning how to clean dishes and cook very simple meals. I promised myself I would practice making my bed and cleaning my room, then spread to every room in my house. After a few months, I was so used to my skills and wanting to be more, that I practiced at Fugaku's summer home and failed to notice how great I was. I'll never forget his silly face as he watched me."

Mother sees a past I don't. That's okay. It's nice to see she has happy memories in this world, despite being alive for two wars and the messy affair of Father and Hakushi.

Small steps, eh? Small, feasible steps. Simple goals, once completed, leave me closer to my true goals.

I like that.

I've always hated the future. It's too abstract, too unpredictable and ultimately useless as a human can never reach the future. So long as I live, there is always a tomorrow and always a stupid expectation that tomorrow holds more possibilities than present time.

If every present day is just as boring as the "tomorrow" I called them by, why focus on "tomorrow"?

That's what I thought all throughout my life. But in this world, with some knowledge how events will play out, I can't help but to focus some energy towards the future.

I hug Mother tightly, eliciting a soft gasp from her. "Thank you. That really helped me."

Mother hugs me back. I think... I think this is the first time she's hugged me since I landed in the hospital after Kanegasaki. I'll never get used to that. I don't think I like unspoken love. I like hugs and I like embracing those I care about. If that makes me weird, so be it.

After all, the best ninja have a gimmick: Jiraiya's perversion, Tsunade's gambling, Kakashi's false boredom, Guy's youth, Asuma's coolness, et cetera. An openly affectionate ninja won't really stand out.

I stay up with Mother doing basic chores for her and cooking my breakfast portion not involved stoves or oven. (Of course, with a smooth Fire Release technique, no one will ever know the difference.)

I can already tell today is going to be a cool day of summer. Usually, I should be sweltering. I am hot, but not overly so.

I pull back the curtain of the kitchen window, intending on opening the window and sticking my hand out, only to find a thick, impressive fog.

Can't say I've seen a fog during a summer without there being rain.

Not only that, the fog smells just like the cloud fart produced from the Shadow Clone Technique. The only real description I can give it is a scent so devoid of any humanly-common smell yet still having some sort of _fragrance_.

It's like describing a color without using the color's name and shades. Or like describing the taste water—it doesn't taste like refrigerator-cooled nothingness, but it doesn't taste like anything.

Maybe all clouds are just like this in the world.

I hear the front door close shut, a bit too quickly. I'm not surprised to see Father entering the kitchen slightly breathless.

"Is Mikoto awake?"

"Just me," I say. "Something the matter? Why were you hold up last night?"

"This fog." He lifts his chin to the window. "We wouldn't like a repeat."

"Ah, okay, good luck. Do you want some _omuraisu_?"

He leaves. "Already ate."

Well, then. Usually, I like when cops are swift in action, but to see Father in a rush like this... it feels me with unease.

Anyway, breakfast is uneventful (mostly because I was too busy thinking), and I leave an hour after Itachi to see my team.

Team 11 meets up at nine and makes it to the mission desk by nine thirty. There's only a small line inside the room, the exact opposite of a DMV office. Then we're entering the room and straight to Hiruzen's desk as routine.

The man still looks old and feeble. His white hair is falling out more quickly than before. His skin mirrors the cracks on the ground during a bad drought. His robes seem to swallow his form. Hiruzen is no longer the Third Hokage and not nearly as relevant as he was more than twenty years ago. He seems to have taken the duty of the Hokage to hand out missions, probably in his attempt to feel capable.

Of course, unlike the smile on Shisui's face or the deep bow of respect Nahime makes, I feel nothing but a deep loathing for the man. The smell of tobacco so strong and piercing does little to ease the flames.

I've seen him oh-so many times. Yet, a part of me never changes.

"Team Uro," greets him, offering a slight wave. "You are well today?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Shisui says, before his cheeks turn pink. "Yes, Hiruzen-sama..."

Nahime inclines her head, and Hiruzen smiles at that.

His dark eyes lock onto mine.

"Biwako-sama," I'm hearing my voice say, "how is she?"

"Ah... how thoughtful of you. She is fine. She caters to the Sarutobi Clan, Takenaka."

 _Takenaka-kun_. I hate the way he says it.

"Sensei," Uro says, going for one of the more popular, least offensive ways of addressing the ex-Hokage. "Any D-Ranks for us?"

I nudge Shisui and whisper, "I think I'll just die if we do one more..."

"I have several that fit your team's specialty, however I currently have one C-Rank that must be completed today. We don't have the proper ninja on call to accept this request. Will you take it?"

Shisui nudges me, "Guess you'll be sticking around longer, eh?"

"A C-Rank is too dangerous for a group of newly mints," says Uro, effectively popping our dream bubbles. "Can we not compromise?"

"...hum... you can fulfill half of mission requirement that fits a D-Rank and keep the rest for a stronger ninja team."

"Thank you, I'll accept that."

Hiruzen pulls out some kind of stone contraption. He clicks together black stones that resembles an abacus.

"What's that, Hiruzen-sama?" Shisui says.

"Just an old cipher. When I was teenager, the world was a violent, distrustful place. A ninja feared to write. To write was to give another ninja a chance to steal information. We used these chakra stones to write messages that glow only when select chakra enters it."

"Cool."

 _Wait_...

"It is somewhat _cool_ , isn't it, Takenaka?"

I clear my throat and turn away, focusing on slowing my running heart. So lame that I actually let him know I liked it. I really do like it. It would be super helpful to be able to write down some of this nonsense in my head. Ease the burden my memory holds, especially the unforgettable memories from the Sharingan.

Why is he using such a device? Can't he just use paper?

"Here you go, Uro," says he, handing Uro a scroll once he had finished with his chakra stones. "Good luck."

After all that suspense, it's a bit anticlimactic to just turn around and calmly walk out the building. Once out, I ignore the civilian-ninja confidentiality rules (in short, there are some things civilians don't need to know; right up in difficulty with remembering the shinobi rules Kakashi used to call out) and say, "What's the mission, Uro-sensei?"

She doesn't even look in my direction. "Find paper in the eighth region and eliminate it. The three of you needn't your sensei's help, do you?"

I hold my hands behind my back. "I can keep them in line. They're goody-two-shoes, anyways."

Uro ignores Shisui's _Hey!_. "Be good, children. Naturally, this is not a mission where it is acceptable to fail." She disappears at my side, just a little too hasty to go.

Now that she's gone, I spin around to my teammates, throwing my arms and shoulder up in a W. "Tell me you _know_ something weird is going on here."

"More importantly," Nahime says, "how are we supposed to go on a search mission with this fog? I understand when Sensei felt a stronger team should do this."

In response, I hold a thumb up. "One, don't underestimate our skills." Another finger. "Two, your statement isn't more important than my statement. I'd like an answer to that."

I've struck a cord already.

"We aren't here to speculate," she mutters with clenched teeth. "If it were serious, we would all know immediately. The fact that this strangeness is kept contained is a statement that Hokage-sama is handling this affair."

"To sum it up," I reply, "you don't really care. Well, Shissan, do you care at all? You get where I'm coming from, right?"

The little Uchiha has a strained look that should not be displayed on the pure face of a child. "Something strange is happening. But Nahime's right—we shouldn't worry much. We've only been ninja for, um, three or four months."

 _You're such boring children_. I sigh internally and stop walking backwards just to face them. "Fine. Pretend I said nothing. Now, are we going to region eight, or what?" I lead the group with a 238 centimeter leap onto the nearest roof. What can I say? It wasn't everyday old-me could travel by building.

This "D-Rank" we have still has the difficulty of a C-Rank. Paper isn't so easily tracked and though I can smell fresh paper fine enough (this is the kind of paper made from bamboo), paper steals the aroma of the environment it's in, making it impossible to detect its original smell.

The fog makes matters worst. It cripples the land with an annoying, saturated look and makes papers blend into the obscure environment. My Sharingan can see through this easy enough, but it remains a secret for now. Instead, I stick close to Shisui's and Nahime's side, who also find their talents useless.

A simple weather change and we suck. (And I'm trying to beat Itachi. I _need_ to train more.)

We take paper from banners, ads, promotions, menus, and more in our search. Nahime acts as a trash can, holding a storage scroll to use Enclose Technique on, sealing the debris.

By noon, our stomachs are ready for lunch. And the fog still lingers.

"Does a fog last this long?" I complain. "Where are we eating at? If you give me a moment, I can recall the map from geography and tell you the best places."

Shisui stops. I find him spinning in a slow circle, observing the world. "There's nothing open, Takenaka. I'm not even sure we've seen people..."

I have to blink several times to see just how desolated this place is. Everything is left untouched, save for the papers. Everything stands solemn, in the greenish-gray mist.

"What in the..." I wipe away sweat from my forehead. "We've been here for _hours_. We can't have just noticed this is a ghost town _now_."

"Oddly," Nahime cuts in, pauses, adds, "I can't remember anything over the past few hours. I can't recall ever stepping foot here in the beginning."

Shisui pulls at his hair. "You're right. Me neither..."

 **I have a good memory**. Why can't I remember anything?

"Okay," I say. "Now you have to believe me when I say something _weird_ is happening."

"I doubt we should involve ourselves with this," goes Nahime. "Shinobi Rule 202 says a ninja should remain put if lost or placed under an assumed illusion until an outside force can verify. If found by enemy, refer to—"

"—the rule that tells you suicide's better than fighting for your life," I hiss. "I need answers. Not a Kakashi."

"Pardon me, but just because _you_ "—she actually calls me "you", a super rude _temee_ —"loathe scarecrows, it does not mean it is a rational insult."

"Are you stupid? I mean Kakashi of the—" _Sharingan_...

Kakashi does not have the Sharingan.

My hiccup followed by _no Kakashi_ hovers in the air like the Spanish flu.

(He got two nearly dead friends instead.)

Nahime makes a face like she's won. "You truly are losing it. Perhaps it is the toxic influence surrounding your clan."

She's already struck a cord.

A laugh bursts from my lips, one of those _I'm seriously angry, but I'm going to pretend I'm not that angry_ laughs. "Devil-princess, I do not have much patience. We are in a very troublesome situation. I can do without your hatred for once, okay?"

"I still wait eagerly for the day you prove me wrong for believing in facts and history." She closes the distance with a venomous aura. "Your clan does not scare me. You may hurt me now, but you will forever forfeit the village's trust."

She's so short. She has to look up at me. Her words start to sound hilarious coming from such a tiny girl.

"W-Wait a little!" interrupts Shisui, both verbally and physically. He stands in between us, pushing me away from her. I decide to yield and back up a few steps. "We're Team 11—not Takenaka and Nahime. We've got to work together! This isn't the time to go our separate ways."

"I vote we find out where this fog is coming from," I tell them.

"We should remain here, preferably in a bivouac," whatever the heck the little Satan means.

"Shissan, it's your time to decide." I pat his back, only making his panic more apparent. "Who do you want to piss off more? Your heir and future clan leader... or some random girl that'll properly kill us on a mission just because we're Uchiha?"

The Uchiha boy is smart for his age, that's for sure. Mental maturity does not always equal emotional maturity, or even physical maturity. He starts sweating bullets. Takes a long time to decide, despite him being the fastest person in my year. Finally, he mumbles, "Let's do a little of each plan, alright? We'll find out what's behind the fog and, once we do, we find shelter and do nothing else."

I groan. Expected from the man who'd throw himself off a cliff for his clan. Nahime doesn't look that much pleased either. I take the lead in guiding us through the fog probably because Nahime doesn't want to take the fall.

In this saturated and claustrophobic world, it's hard to pick up a scent or to make sense of all these blurs and distortions. I feel like the fog is weighing heavily on my soul. I take deeper, fuller breaths with my back and still feel oxygen-deprived. Running a quick diagnostic, I see my blood oxygen level has dropped two percent.

"This isn't a normal fog," I mumble. "Fogs don't suck the oxygen out the air. It almost reminds me of Hypoxia Treatment, the way it absorbs and copies the oxygen already present..."

The other two don't reply. Maybe they're suffering from their own issues or think I'm just losing it.

Staggering in this dismal world isn't leading us anywhere. I have to be smart about this. How can I track something I can't see or smell?

Chakra?

I can't use Ninshuu. There are no human beings here to connect to. What good would it do?

I could use my Sharingan.

Shisui and Nahime both have an almost hallow look as they rest next to me. I don't think they'll notice.

I cup my hands around my eyes and open the Sharingan. It's disorienting to see the world suddenly magnify from 144p to a whopping 4k view. More importantly, I can't detect a single chakra blob representing a human.

But the fog itself is chakra.

I turn off my eyes. The memory burns itself under my eyelids.

"Maybe it's like Hypoxia Treatment because it _is_ ," I say. "This fog is made with chakra, pure chakra. Chakra takes up more space than oxygen on an anatomical scale. It's possible—"

"Speak normal talk," Nahime says. "Apparently, you think a human made this fog?"

"But for so long and so intense?" Shisui adds. "Who could do all of this? What would be the point?"

"Who knows? I just think that there's only one place that can see over the entire village and clear up things," I say, smirking at my joke.

"Hokage Rock," finishes Nahime.

"Exactly. We just need to find the way back home."

"You know where we are?" Shisui looks at the grayish haze surrounding us.

"I saw a landmark. On the map, we should be entering region six. It'll take us about thirty minutes by roof to get to the center."

Jumping roof to roof is more difficult and probably slower than walking. I'm depending on the map imprinted into my mind at this point, hardly focusing on reality. Nearly forty minutes later, we're running up the mountain's surface and to the giant, biege bulges that is our Hokage Rock.

I crouch on the spikiest part of Minato's hair, unzipping my coat and pulling my shirt in and out, to generate a good breeze. "My thighs are going to be sore tomorrow."

"You're telling me," agress Shisui, panting.

"Look," Nahime points.

The fog isn't intense here. It's still not gone, however. On the ground like still ants, squished bugs, I can see...

At once, I'm chakra skating down the mountain and on the road. I'm taking vitals of the ninja laying unmoving on the ground. Some are dead. Some are barely holding on.

"Takenaka!" cries Shisui as he and Nahime reach my side. "What... is he...?"

"No," I say, "not this guy in particular."

"This is far too dangerous for us," Nahime hisses. "If these men are incapacitated, what chance do we stand?"

"I think we should just hide, Takenaka..."

A part of me needs to know what is happening. Secrets run wild in this world. If I don't find out how this all plays out, I probably never will.

But it'll be too difficult to convince them to follow. They're obedient children like that.

So, I urge them on ahead, saying I'll follow after I finish healing this man. I mold my chakra and divide it in half, producing a perfect copy.

"Take-two," I say, "you find out the mystery. I'll go with them."

With a nod, he runs into the fog.

I follow the two back to their shelter: an Academy classroom. Not even our old one, just a room deep inside the heart of the school. We hide inside the empty storage closet in near complete darkness and wait.

The building is silent. Maybe it's been evacuated or there hundreds of students cowering just like we do.

"I hope Uro-sensei is okay," Shisui says plaintively. "I hope Father is okay."

A cold dread shakes me as I think of my family being dead. Wanting to forget it, I say, "Is your father a ninja?"

"Used to be. He lost his leg... and his sanity along with it. He's not—not doing okay..."

(I've just made things worse, huh?)

Since we're already pressed shoulder to shoulder, it's easy to scoop him into an one-arm hug. He bristles at the contact. I try to rub circles into his back like my first mother used to. Soon, he's relaxing against me.

Nahime pointedly ignores us, preferring to look at the faint lines of light created by the slits on the closet door. Her fists have white knuckles. Do I detect tears making her blank mouth wobbly?

I think we all need to relax.

"Once upon a time," I say softly, "I was scared of this tight, big machine when I was little. It would throw me up, down, left, right, and all the way around. People saw it as fun, while I could only see death. But... my family had money to go to this weird place, and we hadn't had good money in a long time. I didn't want to ruin their day, so I got in the ride and I dealt with it. Told myself if my family's gonna die on one of these machines, I was gonna die right with them instead of watching from the sidelines. Turned out nobody died, _and_ the ride was freaking amazing.

"Right now, I'm scared. You two seem scared. It's okay. Just go through with being scared and still get stuff done. If someone opens the door and they're an enemy, you can be afraid, but don't scream and do nothing. We're gonna fight, okay?"

I lost the point halfway through, however it seems to have cheered them up slightly.

I'm scared?

Not likely. Not with Take-two still running amok. I'd wish my hands would stop shaking though.

.: **THREE END** :.

* * *

\- Kaori Kaeri -

 _((Been reading SIOC fics and so many use Japanese words, so I thought I should give it a shot. My Japanese is a little rusty, so try not to cringe too hard~))_

"Ehhh? Takenaka-kun? Ogenki wa?"

Kaori grins at me, her shiny, blonde hair making her stunningly innocent and ditzy. She hasn't changed much. No, not at all.

"Ah, Kaori-san, hisashiburi na!" I greet. "Daijoubu kai?"

She lets out a happy giggle, making her already rosy cheeks redder. "Daijoubu! Takenaka-kun mo?"

"Eh," I grin. "Ja... yokatta na. Ah, shii ranku nimmu wo nashitogeru koto ga dekita yo ne, Kaori-san wa?"

"Un! Anou... hitotsu, futatsu... ah, mittsu ninmu!" She holds up three fingers starting at her thumb.

"Mi-Mittsu?"

Really. _Really_ now. Uro is just being cruel.

"Hai! Sensei wa 'Kono chiimu, subarashii ze!' to yuu wa ne!"

Not even Uro complimented Team 11 _that_ enthusiastically.

"Ah, Takenaka-kun... daijoubu wa...?"

Am I thought obvious? I slap a huge grin in my face in place of my misery. "Iya, iya. Jitsu wa, ureshii yo."

 _Nande, Uro-sensei? Hidoi neee!_

 **I'm sorry about my answering delay. I didn't expect for college to get so hectic and it hasn't even started yet! (just a bunch of leadership stuff) I've answered every review I could today. This should not happen in the future!**

 **I definitely won't be able to post a new chapter until about September or December** — **I'm sorry. I guess this is on brief hiatus? Well, I can post a chapter provided it'd be a rather brief chapter, but a few of you guys disliked my shorter chapters. I really don't know if it's better to wait for a complete chapter or post completed snippets of a chapter.**

 **Regardless, thank you for reading, reviewing, following, and favoriting! Is it a bit arrogant to hope we get 1000 follows and 500 favorites by December 31st? We're almost there at 700 plus 400 (respectively) and counting!**

 **REVIEWS**

 **(Roserader) Your review is all kinds of cool. That subplot would probably go along a much more tragic route involving two Noble Clans versus two random orphans.**

 **(Guest)** **Loved your analysis. In that, you are correct, and I understand your points. His fickle nature is portrayed in the scattered recollections of his past (being in band, football, etc.) where it's completely obvious he's never truly dedicated himself for one thing. I believe that could be one of his tragic flaws. He died at eighteen, but he definitely did not die maturely.**

 **(Guest - Jun 21) Ah, I've always heard that the most: it's too slow. The pace picks up - starting from this chapter. At least, it's less setting up plots and more repercussions of actions**

\- 17 Jul 2018


	21. FOUR

**I've decided the best thing to do was post every month on the first (in respective of my time zone, of course). Unfortunately, that means shorter chapters, but I feel that some progress is better than none at all. Thanks for supporting the fic, and I intend to answer reviews in my free time. Have a slap-tastic month~**

* * *

 **A Measure of Darkness**

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." Reincarnation!OC

— Robert Frost, _Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening_

* * *

 **FOUR**

 _ **A Measure of Darkness**_

 _The Red Eyed Man: A Monster_

* * *

It's eerie being alone. No one is behind me, able to tell me if I'm loud or visible. To pick up on things I missed. I travel by the shadows cast by buildings until I can see the Hokage Tower decently. One of the busiest buildings in this country is empty. No lights are on. I'm pretty sure there are shattered windows. Some kind of attack took placed and wasn't recent.

Among the bodies of ninja decorating the ground to the tower, I search for Uro. I spot a few I've seen before in my peripheral vision, _real people_ with lives outside of mine, now no more. One of the bodies rots on top of another, possibly died trying to save the person underneath. That person turns out to be Enkou, expression eternally calm, almost sleeping, before livor mortis sets in.

My ears pop without warning. A pressure builds up in my head as I struggle to stand. There's this reverberating thunder that shakes my insides. Never ceasing. My heart might crumple under the strength of the noise. Yet despite the roaring, there is no lightning.

A funnel made of air sucks up the dark fog, an artificial tornado. It tries to pull me into it as well, and so I stick myself to my spot. Light debris fly into the vortex, nicking me.

On top of the tower... is that orange and green _frog legs_? A frog sucking up fog?

Something like hell stabs me from behind.

Not literally. Feels just like it. It sends hot magma through my veins as heavy as boulders and sends me crumpling to ground in a pathetic display. I have double vision and even blurred vision, possibly because of tears in my eyes. It hurts to breathe this heated, heavy air.

 _Ch-king._ The sound coming too close behind me reminds me of the clinging of knight's armor. Sounds like it'll crush me like a pancake if it fell on top of me.

A hot, metallic thing snakes around my shoulder and goes for my throat. My toes no longer touch the ground. _This hurts_. A neck isn't built to support the human's weight. I want to claw my neck free, but my nails do nothing against this thing feeling like bricks.

I peel open an eye and see red.

A richer red color than the Sharingan. A less rose shade than Kurenai's. A pupil-less red stares me down.

(All else fails, if he hurts me, I'll just pop.)

"What are you doing here?" His voice isn't as angry as I expected. I think he's been repeating himself quite a lot.

I'm a stupid flesh puppet dangling from his giant hand. How absolutely tall this monster is, probably clipping two hundred centimeters no sweat.

He wears a hat similar to Hakushi's _sandogasa_ , even added white cloth to drap down the sides. A mask conceals everything except for his **eyes**. I don't know who this is. My foreknowledge and my present knowledge fails to help.

"Answers," I squeak out. "I need to know... who's okay..."

"You have a morbid curiosity, boy," the monster wearing human skin and armor tells me. "You could have died."

Out of curiosity, I get out, "Are you... an ally... to the Leaf?"

"I am Han," replies he, face still blank. "I am an ally of the Rock."

—which is the only warning I get before I see his armored fist headed for my head. That explains some of shattered skulls and rib cages I saw. _No thank you_.

While he responded, I had been forming one-handed seals out of his sight, and so I Body Flicker out of harm's way. Something gets smashed behind me as I stagger on the roof, clutching at my sore and itchy neck.

The heat strikes again and sends me falling to my knees. Shortly after, Han lands on the rooftop with me.

"Good idea," he comments. "You're much more useful alive than dead. Perhaps I will persuade the Namikaze to desist his efforts. He seems to have a weakness for death."

I have no choice but to activate the Sharingan. I turn around to see a phantom hand reaching out for me. Easily, I dodge out the way. My body is still sluggish, but I refuse to be a stupid pawn.

Han lunges for me several times over. The monster is slow. Slow in the way of two hundred milliseconds versus one hundred milliseconds, which isn't _slow_ , but it gives off a sense it is slower than what a ninja is used to. This guy is not the typical trope of super strong and super slow. He's nearly the best of both worlds.

Now he's facing off with me, a ninja who's only got speed against him. I search through what skills I know. All I've got is illusions, medical arts, and a few Fire Release techniques that'll consume all my fake fire chakra. _Weak_.

This is seriously beginning to piss me off. How idealistic am I to think I'm actually on track to joining Itachi's level?

 _You'reanidiotstupidunrealisticpieceof_ —

I spit out a giant fireball in between us. The rooftop goes up in blue flames, leaving me to leap to another, more fragile roof. The area glows a bright blue, and Han watches me with his purple eyes, very calm.

"Very, very interesting," comments he, tilting his head. "Are you the little brother? I am very glad you are not dead."

My shaky voice is barely louder than the flames. "Little brother?"

"Yes. The fabled Blue Fire Dragon. Caused a wave of blue fire at Kanegasaki. For over eight hours. No human being can produce and use that much chakra. The Earth would love you alive, little one. It would be a great honor to torture you in front of thousands and quench vendettas in that instance," he monotones.

"Screw you," I shoot back.

I see his hands moving in a blur, but can catch every single hand seal with these eyes. I've remembered _hundreds_ of hand seals associated with known techniques as per the Academy requirement, but never have I seen _this_.

 _What the hell is he going to do? Am I going to die? Is this Fire Release? Earth Release? Steam? What kind of technique needs the Rat Seal twice? I am going to_ _ **die**_.

 _"Ah_... I do not want to hurt you yet, little one," Han says with misplaced calm, just as soon as I think that.

The chakra blob disappears in a blink.

Reappears as a ghostly image before my eyes. In pure instinct, I leap backwards, watching as the man forms tangibly, bringing a fist down where I was and toppling everything to the ground with a strength more explosive than Tsunade's.

The earth used to create the building just _yields_ to his presence, becoming like liquid. I can see the unnatural bend the roof tiles and wood make, a crumple more characteristic of an aluminium can than stable infrastructure.

But what good are those observations? The power of his chakra pushes me off the roof and steals my breath away. I'm falling off the collapsing building.

 _I'm not going to die_ , thinks a small part of me. _I'm a clone. I'm definitely not alive._

My first clone who fell off a rooftop. I didn't die, definitely not, but—

 _Shit. This is going to hurt like hell._

Luckily or unluckily, I see another faint chakra blob at the corner of my eyes. It makes contact with me. Only this contact doesn't hurt nor jostle me enough to pop. This blob, now human, carries me close to his chest. The green vest. The shuriken enclosing a red fan.

"Father!"

He's sprinting fast on the ground. "Takenaka. I know that fire from anywhere."

"What's happening? Is Mother okay? Ryorin? Itachan? Our family? Hokage-sama—?"

He covers my mouth. "You shouldn't concern yourself about these things. Rely on adults, will you?"

 _I deserve to know something_ , I try to say against his rough hand. Tastes bitter.

A noise more booming than the thunder bursts from the left. I can hear the metal armor cracking the ground as Han chases after us.

"Wicked Eye Fugaku is attempting to rescue the little one. I cannot allow you to do that."

I squirm, which tightens the hand on my mouth, before I can look at Father clearly. I want to see if he's nervous or depressed. Maybe I can read the death in his eyes.

There is only focused determination surrounding Father's Mangekyou Sharingan.

I close my eyes, but photographic memory won't let me forget. The red and black kaleidoscope is burning through my skull and **it doesn't let me vanish**.

"Oi," is Father's voice. " _Oi_! Are you hurt?"

I am not going to look at his face. I turn off my eyes and watch as the world becomes sloppy all over again. "Use your eyes to predict, Father," I say weakly. I think... I remember Nahime's words. It hurts.

I don't get a reply. Father kicks a corpse still clutching a kunai. The blade goes flying, gets stuck in a store window. Father jumps and shoves his shoulder directly onto the kunai handle end, shattering the window. To my surprise, half of the building starts crumbling with the window once we're through.

We've landed in some kind of family dinner. As far as I can tell inside the dust and darkness. Father releases me and starts looking around, eyes whipping in all directions almost painfully fast.

"One point three seconds," mumbles Father. Walking towards me, he adds, "You're a Shadow Clone."

 _What_? No... no, clones have identical chakra structures. It fooled _Neji_. Father can't _know_. And while my brain briefly short circuits, Father takes my shoulders.

 _A father-son moment? Now?_

His hands quickly move under my shoulders. Picks me up. Flings me at the wall.

I can't say I'm too worried, not being real and all, but _you couldn't give me a warning_?

Ignoring me, Father flips through his hand seals.

He's going to pop me.

I'm watching as an Earth Release technique removes the collapsed wall and reveals Han. His eyes flicker to me.

My head slams the wall hard enough to where I should have a concussion. The last thing I hear is Father shouting, " _Sarutahiko_!"

.: **FOUR END** :.

* * *

 **REVIEWS**

 **(Guest, Jul 18) I read in** _ **Itachi Shinden**_ **, TV Tropes, and on the Narutowiki that Itachi read books about The Sage of Six Paths and junk. I do** _ **highly**_ **doubt anyone knows about Kaguya and the tree, though.**

\- 1 Aug 2018


	22. FIVE

**A Measure of Darkness**

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." Reincarnation!OC

— Robert Frost, _Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening_

* * *

 **FIVE**

 _ **A Measure of Darkness**_

 _The Red Eyed Man: To Sacrifice_

* * *

I scare the absolute shit out of Nahime and Shisui with my scream.

A brain doesn't register pain. Headaches don't make sense. I sure do have a bad one, way worse than the clone's pain, to the point of nausea when I move slightly.

Shisui is patting my back as I clutch my skull and ride out the pain, too exhausted for a medical technique. The ache eventually subsides enough for me to sort out my memories all while pretending to sleep on Shisui's shoulder.

What do I know?

There were corpses, some I knew, some I saved. Protocol dictates a lower ranked ninja must shelter in place while more experienced and higher ninja survey the damage, report safe zones and at risk zones. It will be a while before we can leave.

And the Hokage Tower. The massive frog legs. It has to be a toad. Probably Minato's. It was sucking up the fog in the Leaf.

Who created the fog? I wouldn't doubt it if it was Han. His Killing Intent wasn't human. A human's intent is usually cold as the person tries to distance themselves from their morals and the inhumane callousness required for Killing Intent. Han's Intent started out as familiar, but was too aggressive and... burning to be created by a human. Minato's Killing Intent is the best representation, with Orochimaru close by.

No, his intent was animalistic in its boiling fury. Like Kurama. If Han is a jinchuuriki, that easily explains how he'd been able to create a fog for so long, to maintain and intensify it.

A Rock jinchuuriki attacking the Leaf? It can only be my fault.

My fault at Kanegasaki when I knew Minato was going to slaughter a thousand of them soon, to continue to use Fire Release when Father could have managed.

My fault for blaming them for knowing about Kushina's Tailed Beast, for increasing the Leaf's paranoia.

My fault for Honou Ike and the others for their failed mission, to attack the Rock jinchuuriki.

I thought Earth hated Fire in the show. I'm dead wrong. Attacking us in our home is beyond hatred.

And Father, how did he find me? He definitely wasn't nearby. Would've seen him. He probably predicted my fall somehow, maybe using those eyes. I don't understand them. They just might as well be a hack like Obito's Kamui.

In the end, I'm sure of something: I'm still weak. So weak it's not funny or charming. It's a different world being on the top leaderboard in _school_.

My battles pass before my eyes. Other than the spars in the Academy, I've never legitimately won _anything_.

— _cking_ is someone's hand gripping the locker too fast, followed by opening the door. We all tense up, expecting the worst, but it's none other than the Snake Sage.

Orochimaru's already muted uniform has a few dark stains on it that looks similar to blood. I, too, have gotten blood spilled on my scrubs and saw them as dried patches hours later. I can just barely catch a coppery scent.

"Is anyone hurt?" These words are supposed to be comforting, but paired with his monotone voice and sly sneer, my heart turns cold.

"Orochimaru-sama," I say, temporarily at a lost for words. "How did you find us here?"

"You dare doubt the skill of a Legendary Sannin? The pride of Genin only grows every generation," and he smirks to himself.

"That's... not what I meant," I say, raising my palms.

"Oh? And what else could those words mean?"

Shisui and Nahime are too shaken by his presence to speak. Or maybe today's events have been too much for them. Even I feel exhaustion creeping up.

"Sorry," I say, "and thank you for finding us. Can we leave now?"

The sage takes us to the center of the village where fog no longer covers the earth. In clear daylight, we all can see what a mess this day has been. The buildings nearest to the Hokage Tower are nigh unsalvageable. There are still Anbu forces cleaning up dead bodies by putting them into scrolls and collecting them in their bags. Later today, we should have a complete idea of who's dead or not, which is typically led by Orochimaru, with it being tied to his scientific role and veteran status. That would mean he, too, would search for corpses, so why was he in the Academy? Maybe he was looking for bodies to take off with, only to stumble upon Team 11.

Enkou is a corpse now. He's... dead.

I'm not sure why I don't feel much. No, it's not like that. I feel nothing, no emotion. There's this nothingness within me, not a lack of reaction. No sadness, no regret, no pain. Absence.

How would Shisui react to the news? He'll see it on the death toll paper sooner or later. I don't want to leave him alone while he gets that news.

"Shissan..." The kid's a zombie, lurching slightly as he turns to me. Oh, sure, we thought we were desensitized in the Academy—what's the point of training killers who break down?—but we didn't take the full program. Still a bit of innocence remains. "I'm sorry. When I arrived, there was nothing that could be done."

"Eh..." His tiny voice barely sounds like a question. Out the corner of my eye, I see that Nahime looks at me.

I feel like I'm reading a newspaper as I say, "Enkou-sensei is dead."

Shisui pales. His expression is stuck. "Takenaka... I don't understand..."

Nahime stares at her shoes, clenching her kunai pouch. "This day has been... exciting."

"Haven't been to funerals much, huh," I say.

"What are you talking about, Uchiha?"

"There are sensitive ways to speak. That happens to not be that way."

"Fortunately, I've not. My family is very healthy and long-lasting. What now? You assumed you could beat me?"

"No." I thought I was done speaking, but my mouth won't shut up. "Congratulations. I've been to several."

An odd atmosphere looms over us. No one on Team 11 knows how to fix this awkward situation.

Anyways, in the end, whatever happened, it all happened at the Hokage Tower. Seems this threat wasn't the annihilation of the Leaf. Maybe Han just wanted to kill Minato and get the Nine Tails. If he killed Hiruzen at that, Han will have effectively thrown this village into chaos. There will be people like Danzou and Orochimaru vying for the spot.

Much to my relief, Minato is okay, As we cope with the scene before us, he looks down at his village from his Hokage Tower patio, face grim and pensive. There are ninja bugging him about something, which he only half-heartedly listens to.

"Scary," Shisui mumbles at my side. "Everything looked fine this morning..."

Nahime's eyes don't appear to be seeing anything.

I take Shisui's wrist and lead him away from the confused, anxious crowd. "Come on, let's go home. It's not good for you to see this."

The destination is the Uchiha Compound. Though the gate signifies this is where the Uchiha Clan lives, there are still a good number who live outside the clan's walls. I'm only assuming Shisui lives here. Hey... I've never once walked home with Shisui. I was always so busy... so preoccupied...

Shisui guides me to his home with a faint voice. It's like the universe stepped on a puppy's tail. I can't leave him alone.

His home is rather small. I suppose it makes sense—his father was his only source of income and now they live on meager D-Rank earnings.

"You should've asked for more high-paying missions," I chide.

"But... it's to be expected. We are Genin. It can't be helped."

Shisui keeps his door locked (which does very little if a ninja threatened to break in) and opens it. He stares at my hand as if I'm going to let go.

"Let's get you calmed down," I warn, before pulling him inside with me.

The living room, dinning room, and kitchen are all one area. They are separated by paper screen room dividers. A short trip up the hallway gives me access to Shisui's toilet room and the bathroom, two separate rooms.

I enter his bathroom and marvel at the mess. Medications and towels are everywhere. The rinse off station looks decent but the bath tub is covered in ancient stains.

"I'm sorry, Father is..." I hush Shisui with a towel to the face.

Making a clone, I start cleaning, not aiming for picturesque shine, just enough to get the work done. With the bathroom now in a reasonable state, I run his bathwater and tell him to go get different clothes.

"And some for you too?" he says innocently.

"Huh?"

"Aren't we bathing together? Don't tell me you don't need a bath—after everything today. Is your head okay?"

 _Bathing together?_ I mean, my sisters did that when they were really young. They weren't much older than I am right now.

"Is it... normal for boys our age to _do_ that?"

"Oh, sometimes. I read in the newspaper that some ninja admit to bathing together after a really scary mission. The scientist said ninja who do that, on average, have less traumatic memories."

Damn the power of science.

But I'm eighteen and he's eight or nine. But I'm supposed to be playing as a nine-year-old boy. But does physical limits compete with mental limits? Is consent physical or mental? What?

I'm just going to nope up out of here.

"I just remembered. If I bathe with you, I can't make your dinner. So this tub is all yours. Be careful, it's really hot." I almost get to run past him until Shisui grabs my sleeve.

"Thank you, Takenaka." He releases his grip. "Even though I don't deserve any of this."

Rather than an eloquent response, I just hurry out the room.

 _Hello, not awkward air, I missed you_.

I cook a simple dinner: _omuraisu_. By the time Shisui is eating, the meal is barely warm. I end up leaving soon after, worrying about my family.

It's a relief to see everyone is **alive**. I hug Mother and Ryou first, before giving Itachi one. He holds on to me much more tightly, pale face finally regaining color. Father just looks at me with an unreadable expression, nursing no visible injury. Which isn't saying much considering ninety percent of his body is covered.

"It was so strange," Itachi says once we pull out the hug. I kneel to his eye level. "I left for the Academy, but I never made it."

"Huh?"

"...I heard my classmates say the same thing. That fog confused all of us."

"Where was Itachan?"

"I don't know. I can't remember anything. But I remember seeing the sky once the fog was gone. Somehow, I was so far from home."

Not even Itachi could break out of it? He's supposed to be one of the best, even at eight. It fooled _Nahime_ and _me_. But Shisui saw through it, and the illusion was shattered.

 _How the hell did_ he _see through it?_

"Is Big Brother alright?" Itachi's light, scared voice interrupts my thoughts. "His chakra is low."

"I'm fine, just a mission, don't worry!" I smile, but it falls once I think about Father.

"Sarutahiko!"

Standing, I look at my stone-faced father. "I'm glad you survived," I say, testing the waters.

"You are such a nosy child," he says. "You had no business being there."

"I wouldn't say that," I blurt, "because I healed extra lives that would've been lost today. I'm a medic, Father."

"Speaking of such, you're needed at the hospital tonight, as soon as you're available."

Icy cold.

Well, it's deserved, considering how difficult I've been lately.

I bow briefly and leave.

:.

I drop into my chair, struggling to take off my gloves stuck to my skin with sweat. With a sanitizing technique, I'm able to take off my plastic face visor and rub at the forming headache.

I don't have enough chakra for all of this. Should I just take a supplemental pill to give me a burst of chakra? Those always leave me aching and sore, using chakra I'm not sure is completely mine. They're great for emergencies and this can be considered one.

A code black.

"Takenaka-sensei!"

 _Sensei? I'm not a doctor just yet—_

Someone little crashing into me. I lean back enough to see big glasses and gray hair.

"Oh, Kabutan," I smile.

"Hey, isn't 'Kabutan' a bit too old for me now?" replies he, dressed in his own pair of scrubs. The nine-year-old comes up to my nose far. His skin is pale and his bones are more prominent. He may have lost weight, but he maintains his energy, so I can't be too worried.

"Maybe," I singsong. "Oh, how's medical school going for you? Especially the tuition..."

A huge, cheek-reddening grin forms on his face. "You said I needed to be exceptional, enough for Kanka-sensei to let me in for free! I've been working on that...

"I've been making upgrades to the hospital!"

"Upgrades?" I heard about new updates in here, but I'll admit, I've been enjoying the academic leave too much.

"I've been reading engineering books in the library at home. There's not a lot of books made on such an interesting topic. That made me sad. So, I'll engineer in real life and write my own books!"

Kabuto? Engineering? No doubt he's always been innovative, especially his Edo Tensei pursuit and offensive medical release. This is a very domestic way to use his abilities, but maybe he'll fly under the radar.

Maybe he won't vanish like Sumomo did.

I mess up Kabuto's super soft hair, partially distracting him from the worry growing on his face. "Impressive. What are these upgrades like? I knew you were smart, Kabutan."

"Well, um, simply put, the machines use simple and complex machines to work like most do. _Plus_ chakra. It's no secret the hospital hasn't updated itself that much since the First Hokage-sama was alive. Have you seen the room where he died at?"

"Yup!" (I snuck in for free. Tickets cost a torso.)

"Like how Tsunade-sama updated field ninja rules, I decided to do the same with technology. The more efficient I make everything, the more Kanka-sensei says she'll endorse me! I'll be able to become a doctor soon!"

"Great job, Kabutan! I'm so proud of you!"

We high five.

"What have you been up to, Takenaka-sensei?"

"I'm a Genin." I stop from pointing to my chest and laugh embarrassedly. "I have my forehead protector somewhere around here... but I'm aiming to be Chuunin by ten, so I should definitely start intense training. I've met cool people and... my teacher is something else. I don't know if she's okay. She's not on the dead list, but there's no list for ' _alive but super injured_ ', you know?"

I stumble that far before Uma is poking his head out into the hallway, saying, "Your break has been longer than five minutes. Hurry up."

I stand. "Okay... see you later, Kabutan."

He makes a cute face. "Ah! By the way, Aki is almost a doctor now! At fifteen! We were going to throw her a party soon! I'll leave an invitation for your teacher."

"Right, right, bye!" I'm waving as I enter the room. The amount of bodies and doctors haven't decreased the slightest bit.

Up until three that morning, I'm working. It's only after I finally relax does Kanka approach me and tell me I'm up to two hundred patients out of my one thousand left.

"Oh, yay," I slur, closing my eyes on this uncomfortable rock called an "on-call bed". I try to avoid this room like the plague, but it's _impossible_. Doctors get tired on long shifts, ergo this snooze room. Even my dorm room mattress was heaven compared to this.

"Your chakra's dead low, boy. You do one more stunt, and it'll be a repeat of all those years ago."

Kanka's words manifest in my dreams as a talking marshmallow.

"If I see you up in here, I'm not going to give you anaesthetics and narcotics. You'll be in pain. It's only recommended I give them to patients, you know," goes the tiny thing, becoming a delicious s'more as its anger has it melting

"Yeah, yeah, I understand, marshmallow," I tell it, placing the melted sugar between chocolate and crackers.

—or not? A pain has me shooting up in the bed, holding my neck. A seething grandma stands next to my bed.

" _Listen_ next time," Kanka hisses.

I feel a sense of loss from my dream. "How long have you been here?"

She throws up her hands and leaves. I get back to sleeping, vaguely aware I dream of nothing.

Rudely awakening me is something very cold.

It's not the kind of cold that makes me shiver. Nor the cold drop in my stomach when I'm terrified. Not the frosty feeling I get when I eat cold foods. Its cold on an intangible level.

Chakra.

I jerk awake. I don't have any ninja weapons, but I have a bonesaw and chakra—

I can't move.

This isn't sleep paralysis. Something is holding me down.

In the call room, only one light is lit: the emergency light. Most of the room is darkened, resulting in a dark room with blurred silhouettes of other sleeping doctors.

I try calling them. Something icy cold wraps around my mouth.

I look down as far as my eyes will let me, only to see yellowish headlights staring right back, a thin tongue grazing the tip of my nose.

 _Snake_!

"Relax, little Uchiha. You do not want to attract attention to us."

 _Orochimaru_ , I say, ending up as incoherent mumbles.

He sits on the edge of the bed, wearing grayish white robes and surgical mask mask. Even in this low light, his golden eyes shine.

.: **FIVE END** :.

* * *

Really excited that we're almost about to reach the 1k goal! I'm so fortunate I have all you readers. Almost a year ago, I was worried about creating get another Uchiha OC. This one's saving grace wasn't much more than being an Itachi stand-in. Of course, I wanted him to be more than just an Itachi (but it's hard to believe that, considering how much Takenaka wants to be Itachi and how Itachi wants to be the Takenaka who wants to be Itachi—oh boy).

This arc is almost nearly completed. The next arc centers around a unprecedented mission for Team 11. Expect lots of team character building, mystery and intrigue, and some action. Have a slap-tastic September~

\- 1 Sept 2018


	23. SIX

**A Measure of Darkness**

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." Reincarnation!OC

— Robert Frost, _Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening_

* * *

 **SIX**

 _ **A Measure of Darkness**_

 _The Red Eyed Man: Worthlessness_

* * *

 _Orochimaru!_ I want to hiss at him, but there's a small snake wrapped around my mouth, preventing me from speaking. Coupled with whatever ninjutsu the Snake Sage used to keep me still, I can't speak at all.

Of course he knows that, his dark gold eyes are shimmering with barely concealed mirth. He speaks nonchalantly, as if he's done this before. (Knowing him, he probably has.)

"I have made progress," he begins, pushing away my anger for curiosity. "So far, the seal can reassemble separate body parts and control them like a puppet. I even arranged a visit to see the girl in question. She still looks very beautiful, although I believe humans are at their prime beauty when dead."

 _She's not dead_ , I think. _Of course_ one of the Legendary Three can visit her leauges before a kid Uchiha.

"Do you have more ideas as to how your little seal works? Currently, I fail to see immortality." Orochimaru leans in closely. "I'd prefer you not waste my time and resources, or I'll expect a swift repayment."

He removes the snake. I tell him everything I spoke with Itachi about, minus name-dropping my brother who doesn't deserve to be involved.

"And who will provide this machine," he asks once I've finished. "Are you a self-made boy? Do your abilities extend to crafting?"

"Definitely not." I remember I tried to fix a toaster once. I ended up breaking it further, to put it lightly. "But for sealing parts, can you do that?"

"Certainly," he scowls.

To have to trust someone like him... have I gone too far? Is this really right?

 _Shuddup. If you don't do this, he'll leave the Leaf, join Akatsuki. If Ryou has no reason to follow Sasuke's path, then she won't learn from the snake and the next gen Three won't exist._

That's even if the Legendary Three is somewhat close to canon. Now with Sasuke a girl ( _one job,_ Father _, one job_ ), I can't determine if Sakura will be there, or another girl, or even another boy.

I have no choice.

"Although, I wonder," Orochimaru says bemusedly. "Her brain is intact but her body is useless. Can this technique work around this?"

If it can work on puppets...

"It's possible. If we implement chakra rods throughout her body, anything can move so long as she uses her chakra."

"But would that expend more effort? There is another, more easy way."

I look at him warily. "Eh?"

Orochimaru closes his eyes as he smiles. "I can clone her."

I grit my teeth.

"This is nothing like the Shadow Clone Technique. I can make her a completely new body, but it would not have her consciousness, memories, nor identical chakra structure. Think of it as a pretty dress for her to wear. If that is the case, will your immorality technique work?"

We are making all these decisions for her. Bit by bit, it's like we're removing everything making her human.

So creepy.

"Yes," I say in one breath.

"Why are you the exhausted one? This technique has yet to be created, and all you do is provide blueprints. You should save your fatigue and cheer on me instead," which, I guess, should be a joke.

"We should do the prototype with a wooden body."

That works, so why not?

But Orochimaru's faint smile vanishes completely. "Wooden body?"

"If this works, she won't need anything a real body needs. All that's necessary is chakra. We don't have to worry about making a clone and keeping the clone body from rotting or ensuring the technique accounts for organic hosts," I improv on the spot. "And like this, as long as the machine stays in tact, the person can switch between an unlimited number of bodies. I mean, you could even update the ability to organic and inorganic beings in the future."

"I see." His face is blank. Unreadable. The snake slithering around my face returns to Orochimaru's palm—actually enters the flesh with a gross, wet sound. He then stands up and pulls the surgical mask over his face. "I will work on this more. We will meet again."

Orochimaru's chakra flees just as he does, leaving me inside a dark room filled with quiet snoring or the rustle of mattresses. A wave of exhaustion takes my breath away. Another headache.

I try, but I can't sleep nearly as peacefully as I did before.

:.

"You look like a nightmare," Nahime says bluntly.

Shisui is trying his hardest not to address that, but ends up laughing in defeat at Nahime's words. "Well... it's sort of true..."

"I've just been at the hospital for a few hours. I think at ten? Ten to... three? Time is a little weird for me." I rub my eyes. "I got some sleep. Eh... not much. You mostly just see what low chakra does to you."

"You may take the day off," Uro says, no worse for wear. I'm glad.

"Nope. I want to hear how Sensei survived yesterday."

The abnormal Aburame woman crosses her arms over her chest. "That was no usual fog. It was steam designed to replicate fog. It was chakra-laced. My _kikaichuu_ took a sample and immediately died from the chakra's volatility. I left you three alone reasoning you'd be the furthest from harm and assumed my role. My role was only limited to keeping a steady observation of the event for Hokage-sama to review at a later date."

"So, you saw everything!" I grin.

"Yes."

"And? What happened?"

"Naturally, it's classified."

Because what _isn't_ for Genin?

"Well, that's why I was on the scene," I say.

"We immediately left, Uchiha," Nahime butts in, glaring.

I refrain from correcting her. In fact, Uro gives me a knowing look. If she saw me, she should have seen me as I was falling. Did she attempt to save me? I can't tell. I wasn't really in my right mind that day.

But why would she? It's not like we're particularly close. Sometimes I feel uneasy around her.

"I'm guessing the whole paper affair is classified, too? Why were we throwing away papers the day of?"

Uro looks around, finds no one. "The First Lady encountered a ninja who can manipulate paper. We are not sure how this can occur. The most popular assumption is that the shinobi holds a diluted Wood Release speciality."

Holy shit, it's _Konan_.

She's supposed to be guarding Nagato, not capturing Kushina. _When_? Was that a coordinated attack with Akatsuki and Han? Why in Pain's name would _they_ of all people recruit a _jinchuuriki_ in their ranks? What the hell is happening outside these walls? If I wouldn't be branded as a missing-nin, I'd just jump over the gate and find out for myself.

 _The Akatsuki are active, and I feel so_ _ **stupidly weak**_.

Itachi can speak Japanese perfectly for his age, excels beyond his classmates more than me, even has impressive knowledge regarding Sealing Techniques.

I? I've got medical release—not even the violent kind Kabuto used. I've got a taijutsu style that focuses more on redirecting than offensive. I've got a few basic genjutsu. A little bit of Weapons Technique.

I'm wasting my time on stupid crap like making contingency plans in a world where I'm not sure what's going to happen next. If I just stopped that stupid garbage _and focus on the present_ , I'd be way stronger.

Fuck worrying about the future.

"—some time off," I hear Uro say belatedly.

Two children are staring at me, one more worried than the other.

I stagger backwards a bit. Thinking about the inevitable D-Rank we'll take. Yet another opportunity to dull my skills on simple missions.

 _I will not waste my time_.

"Ta-Takenaka? You seem really sick—" I kind of hear Shisui say.

I bail on them. The only thing that makes me feel better is the Uchiha training grounds.

I think I'm all alone when I see Obito sleeping near the lake. I don't dare wake him up. It'd be too distracting, anyways.

I wasted my life learning medical release. It _is_ going to work for me. Kabuto was smart, way ahead of his time. If a ninja is going to devote themselves to something for decades, they better well be the best damn man for the job.

I make a goal to train in offensive medical release.

:.

Team 11's teamwork training goes about as swimmingly as Team 11 can do. It lasts only about two hours, which alarms me when Uro calls it quits and gives us the day off.

Normally, we get free days and I'm okay.

But with Han and the fog...

I feel **useless**.

"Uro-sensei," I say, tugging at her sleeve when Shisui and Nahime leave. "What do you do after dealing with us? Are you busy?"

It's true she makes a small profit from Team 11's missions, but nothing comparable to her Genin. Think about the amount she could earn going on A-Rank missions.

"I train, take a mission, deal with my life," she thankfully reveals. "Naturally, so should you. A ninja must grow both professionally and causally. Plus, I assume you have a family to go home to."

I nod. I don't think anyone in my class is an orphan. Kinda impressive. "Could you... train me in genjutsu lessons? I've always liked doing them in the Academy. And, it's really hard to find decent masters."

"What would be the point? We are a tracking team. There would be no use in learning genjutsu."

Oh. I can start to see why Kurenai didn't teach Team Eight any of her techniques and skills. What would be the point? None of them needed it to be good.

(Wait a minute—why do all of the tracking teams get genjutsu Jounin-sensei? Is Uro establishing a precedent? Did Kurenai look up to Uro?)

"Who's to say I'll still be limited to tracking teams when I'm Jounin," I offer. "I want to be well-rounded. Adaptable. Flexible."

"The Leaf would benefit more if specialists taught teams who would then become specialists themselves."

I start to get annoyed.

"Please, Uro-sensei? I'll pay you—I'll be more patient with Nahime. I'll do anything! I just want to _learn_!" I bow deeply.

Silence weighs heavy.

I think I hear a deer in the distance.

"It would be for the best," Uro says, "if I can finally prevent Nahime and Takenaka from arguing excessively."

 _Yes!_

"Uro-sensei is the _greatest_!"

She doesn't even smile or brighten up. She gets straight to the point. "The files on record tell me enough of your genjutsu pursuits. Naturally, you've accomplished the basics, have you not?"

I bob my head up and down. "Yeah! I know how to disable genjutsu and transmit them in a few different ways. I also use some basics, but not really the advanced ones like Demonic Illusions. I prefer illusions that don't hurt the ninja, but distract them. You know?"

"You have thought about this much." Uro crosses her arms, concealing her chest. "Detecting genjutsu is your weakest by far. If your body is not elucidated to how a genjutsu settles over it, how can you expect to copy that onto an opponent?"

"To be fair, you're a master and I'm still learning," I say.

"Very atypical from you. You always assume you are some kind of master when taking on new challenges. I would have never thought you'd use an excuse."

Something burns within me.

"Alright, hit me with what you got! I'll figure out how to detect!" I punch my palm, excited.

"Slow down a little. That is not where to start. Detecting illusions is not made to be easy. Genjutsu is a very delicate art that pulls on one's perception of reality. If that reality is doubted for a second, the entire charade falls apart. The Academy may have taught you basic techniques, but it is very likely none of these techniques will hold up. For example—"

Uro disappears into a white cloud. Once the smoke fades, it's _me_ with a particularly apathetic expression.

Even the hand seals "I" make aren't identical. "Genjutsu: Hallucination."

And there it is, a pull on my consciousness. It's so obvious. When the world starts turning into a purplish tint, I disrupt my chakra and have the illusion collapse.

"This is how your basic genjutsu would take affect. Naturally, I know so because I am currently you," says Uro-me. "For the time being, my system works the same way as yours."

I wonder if this is just an illusion all inside my mind. Maybe Uro cast this to get me to shut up.

I hate being at the whim of others like this.

"How do I go about making the illusion subtle?" I say.

"Experience."

"E-Experience?"

Uro-me nods as if she just made sense. "I will throw illusion after illusion onto you. You will analyze every single way the genjutsu affects you. Once you realize all the possible avenues your illusions can be detected by, the next step is plugging those leaks."

"Yes, Uro-sensei!"

The illusions she gives me aren't scary or creepy. It's more or less an ASMR for my chakra system. Some energy creeps up my spine like ice. Some energy makes the inside of my brain cold. Many attempts leave my nervous system firing and my chakra system twitchy.

Disrupting the illusions are easy enough, especially being aware that they aren't real. When the mind still thinks it's real despite a little skepticism, the ninja can fail to escape the illusion. The chakra works against the ninja.

"I think I've understood," I say, smirking. "Let me try a few illusions!"

"Eager," Uro-me comments, "or reckless. What about these illusions that have you so passionate? All Uchiha have the potential to one day awaken a great Eye Technique called the Sharingan. The eyes make genjutsu very easy. You are wasting your time learning this skill, Takenaka."

"Come on, Sensei, give me some credit. I _know_ that. I don't intend to be so reliant on my eyes." I don't intend to only have the basics in my arsenal. "You said genjutsu's dependent on how fooled the mind is, right? Won't I have a disadvantage always turning on my eyes for a simple illusion?"

I want to mislead people. Control people. Distract people. Outright troll people. The Sharingan may be the quickest route, but nobody's expecting a high-level genjutsu to come from a Sharingan-less Uchiha, right? I know Itachi relied on his eyes and maybe I might, too, but I really do believe I can best him without the eyes. I just need hard work.

Uro-me relents. "You are not so easily dissuaded."

So I hit her with a genjutsu, and she immediately calls out sternly, "Try again. I can feel coldness settling under my skin."

So another—

"Try again. I felt my heart flutter."

And _another_ , more careful illusion I transmit slowly—

"Try again. The illusion is transparent and gradually increases in its opacity."

Another, another, another—until my reserves are too low for anything else.

Tonight, I go home and spend the night brainstorming, only getting maybe an hour or two of sleep. The medic in me knows it's unhealthy, but my body just doesn't care. It's too jittery to master this as soon as possible. Who knows what can happen in the next hour?

As payment for Uro's help, I don't fuss with Nahime. Not where Uro can hear or see.

In my spare time, I buy a book series: _The Mystifying Tales of Saizou Kirigakure_ , basically the namesake of the Hidden Mist at the recently opened bookstore. Saizou Kirigakure was a legendary ninja among illusionists and Water ninja. This guy knew every illusion in genjutsu history, real or fake.

Using his books gets my creativity firing. _What_ are the limits of illusions? Ninjutsu is hindered by Bloodline Limits and Bloodline Selections, by reserves, and by the ninja's chakra control. Taijutsu is obviously limited to what the body is capable of. But genjutsu is all about surrealism and abandoning reality where limits don't exist. At what point does an illusion start to break into God territory? The Eternal Tsukuyomi?

:.

Four fingers are making Ls. I square them up, so they then look like a frame. "You look perfect. Don't move."

Take-two narrows his eyes at me. He looks at the pen and paper in his hands.

I drop my hands and focus. "Test sixteen: False Hyuuga. If you recall, Chakra Scalpel comes in many forms. The way Kabuto used it had it seem a little ineffective. What if I can control the scalpel to encompass my hand? The palm and fingertips and like. There should be no outward glow. And with one tap, I can hurt the opponent kind of like a Gentle Fist would."

"But Kabuto said so himself—you can't focus long enough in combat to do any major damage. If it hurts you to use a finger at a time, your hold hand is out of question," says my voice of reason. "You _know_ someone like him tried."

"Okay... what about Ninshuu? Interconnection? If I can share a genjutsu using that link, can't I share a connection? Maybe... if I link myself to the person, maybe I can make their chakra do the work..."

A few years ago, I placed a genjutsu on Kaori Yamanaka. It turned out that not only was the genjutsu unbreakable, but _I_ was also affected, albeit less so.

"That sounds stupid," says Take-two. "Stick to medical release for now. Leave the abstract junk for later. Look, you know all of the body's weaknesses, its _tenketsu_. If you didn't, you'd be a pretty shitty surgeon. There are so many ways to turn your abilities into weapons."

So far, I could use Hypoxia Treatment offensively, as in I could touch the body and take away oxygen. It wasn't much—I have to touch Take-two many times before I see the effects of oxygen deprivation.

There's the Hydration Technique, in which I can also steal water much in the same way as the first.

"You could push too much chakra in for Blood Coagulation Technique," Take-two says. "If you ignore the body's homeostasis, you'll utterly demolish the system and leave your victim squirting out blood that won't stop. In theory."

I've thought of carrying around herbs used as common medicines and weaponizing them. Too much of an herb can lead to nasty repercussions. Some herbs should never be inhaled. Some herbs should never have direct human contact without being crushed into a liquid.

There are many, many ways I can use this in a deadly way. Probably the only reason preventing medics from going rogue is the Mito Uzumaki Compromise, in which medics are safe from harm in war and combat so long as they heal both enemy and ally.

It's not against the rules to do this, but it's not _encouraged_. Ninety-nine percent of medics are in field because they want to do something good or enjoy human life. None of them would ever have the courage to use offensive medical release. Maybe if I entered the medical field with the same level philanthropy, I wouldn't be able to do this.

In fact, I just think being screwed over into joining this field makes this _worth it_.

I put more offensive medical release ideas to the test for an hour or two. It's when I'm resting and finishing my journal notes when I hear a crunch of a twig breaking under a foot.

I whip around, reaching for my kunai. Who'd be dumb enough to kill an Uchiha on Uchiha territory?

The intruder throws his hands on top of his head, silently emphasizing he will make no attempt to preform a hand seal. But that alone doesn't console me, it's that I know him.

"Nitsuke...?" I hesitate.

"Takenaka," he greets. He's barely changed—well, it's only been two or so years, he probably couldn't.

"Afternoon! Come here to train? I'll leave, I'm just about done." I would like to say _What brings you here?_ This is a training ground that's open to all Uchiha. Wouldn't be much point asking that.

"No." Nitsuke reaches out for me, pauses. "I mean, yes, I wanna train. But I don't want to you to go?"

"Eh? I'm getting mixed messages here..."

"Pl-... Please teach me! You taught four or five of them, and they graduated! And... I can't do this alone. I need help." Nitsuke grimaces at his now raw voice, but continues. "Mom was hurt in the attack. I couldn't save her. I'm not strong enough. But if you were there, you'd save her!"

Don't we all have problems? If I weren't so busy, maybe I could help.

"How would you know?" I say gently. "You don't know what I'm capable of. I can't solve everybody's problems. But there's teachers and Uchiha masters that—"

" _Bull_! I saw you at the hospital! You were in your own element, untouchable! There were a few big kids who looked up to you! And I heard from Teyaki you planned to look into fixing him! What kind of Uchiha can do the things _you_ can?"

"I'm not doing much," I sigh. "You're overestimating me here! I'm working just as hard as you to better myself."

"Oh yeah? And who's the one that graduated in two years, _huh_?"

I... can't reply. If Nitsuke had given me a three day notice, I could have retorted. He presses his advantage.

"Look, I'm glad there's an Uchiha like you and your brother. But I get I can't rely on you to save everyone I love. That's why I want to be strong like you, so I can protect my loved ones, okay?" He licks his lips and takes half a step forwards. "Don't the teachers always say that the best way to learn something is to teach it?"

How old is he? Why is his logic so scarily convincing?

"I don't think I have the time to teach you," I eventually respond. "I've got my family, my clan, my team, and my job to keep track of. I can't do everything."

Nitsuke bites the inside of his cheek. Looking at the grass, he mumbles, "Would Itachi say yes? Everyone talks about how reserved he is. But he doesn't look nearly as busy as you."

" _No._ Do _not_ get my brother involved."

I pinch the bridge of my nose.

Itachi needs to be a child. I don't want him concerning himself with such mature affairs. Seeing as I have no choice at all, I sigh even louder.

"Alright. _Alright_ , don't stab me in the back later, Nitsuke." I retract the venom in my words a little seeing his bright, hopeful face. "Tell me what you know and don't know, and we'll start from there."

Nitsuke isn't that bad a ninja. He's perfectly average with a few gifts that are better than me. He doesn't need much supervision, so I decide to write out a guide on a scroll and hand it to him.

"The more practice you do," I say, "the better. But don't go risking friends and family time to train."

Nitsuke frowns up at me. "But didn't you train a lot, too? I saw you out here up until midnight. You're even out here today."

I rub my nose to hide my scowl. "Er, well, ever heard of _lead by example_? Or _do as I say, not as I do_?"

The young boy looks at me warily. "You're a great ninja. But if you were my Jounin-sensei, I think I'd die. Hypocritical and just plain weird. I can't believe you _still_ wear that mask. Are you just horribly scarred?"

 _This kid...!_

I smirk. "Oh, this is just a super not well known training technique. See, this mask helps me awaken my Sharingan way sooner and have all three _tomoe_."

I almost laugh seeing how fast Nitsuke's jaw drops. "I... I don't believe you!"

"Oh, really? I guess I can show you... but if anyone finds out about these eyes, I'll definitely hurt you! Like I said, you shouldn't stab me in the back after this!" Joyfully, I awaken the Sharingan.

At this, Nitsuke pales considerably.

I turn them off and grin. "See? I told you! Now, get to training or living life. You've delayed _me_ enough from my tasks today!"

He's so in shock, he doesn't stop me.

.: **SIX END** :.

* * *

 _Hey! I've been revamping the story (yes that word count isn't 200k anymore). The forst few chapters are redone and the other chapters are on the way. Mainly I focus on errors and continutity. Have a slap tastic October and I'll see you all November first._

 _(Sorry it's the update is a day late, too!)_

\- 2 Oct 2018


	24. SEVEN

**A Measure of Darkness**

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." Reincarnation!OC

— Robert Frost, _Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening_

* * *

 **SEVEN**

 _ **A Measure of Darkness**_

 _Garden Village Troubles: Light in the Night_

* * *

"Funny I meet you here," I grin, but it's not a coincidence at all.

Obito is sitting under the tree shade in his small backyard eating _ramen_ noodles seasoned with spices and sweet sauces. The smell of pork is almost enough to make my mouth water.

"I knew you'd be safe after everything's that happened," Obito starts to laugh, but loses energy and stops.

"Do you know what happened?" He's not a ninja, but it's worth a shot.

"Some paper chick and her monster organized an attack on Kushina and Naruto," the teen says through grit teeth. "They wanted to use them as leverage against the Hokage-sama, to get him to do something. Dunno what, though."

"I heard the fog was supposed to confuse hundreds of shinobi so that they couldn't go to Hokage-sama's aid," I add.

"Yeah, I heard that, too! Man, when that fog got really intense, I kind of forgot who I was. Like, I thought I was still thirteen and with two arms. It was so weird. I can't remember much of it now." Obito stares at his hand with a pained expression. His thoughts are in a dark place now.

"Hokage-sama is okay, right?"

His eyes clear up. "Yeah. Well, maybe he's got little chakra and a few wounds, but it wasn't nothing the Yellow Flash can handle!"

"Kushina and Naruto, too?"

"Totally fine! Kushina is scary when she wants to be. Sometimes, she's like a total animal. It's scary!"

At least Obito is no longer brooding.

"That's good. I think Kushina might go into hiding again. I'll miss her..."

"Oh, I heard rumors about that. I mean, I guess it makes sense, but Minato-sensei's gonna be lonely, you know? He won't complain, though, because it's always been about doing the best for the village."

"He'd die protecting this place in a heartbeat," I nod.

"Exactly. Sensei's a strong person. It will be tough, but he'll push through. He hasn't failed me or anyone." Obito sits up abruptly, nearly spilling his noodles. "Trust me, you have _never_ seen Sensei mad. Sensei knows when to kill a threat rather than let them go. Sometimes he does, but... whoever hurt me or Team Minato, Sensei executed the enemy. No hesitation."

"Cool," I say. "Cool and scary."

"He's not the kind of pushover you think," Obito adds with a wink. "I think that's why people believe in him, despite him and the Third being nice people on the surface."

I don't need Obito's words to convince me. I had seen the Yellow Flash without the kind doormat persona. I don't think Minato has any mental illnesses, but I wouldn't be surprised if he had one.

What if Minato is a sociopath? Wouldn't that be terrifying? What if he fakes kindness and generosity just for fun? What kind of gentleman can go out and slaughter thousands of enemies without any lingering trauma? Is he so brainwashed, he's essentially an average German citizen during World War II? A summer soldier?

I can't say I know much about the guy. What little I've seen is enough to freak me out.

My first meeting with Minato involved Killer Intent and a mask scary enough to compete with Inoichi.

"Not even half a decade as Hokage and already weird stuff is happening," I comment, struggling to keep a smile off my face.

"Yup! Nothing's normal when you're as famous as Minato-sensei!"

We sit together under the shade, the world peaceful for now. A lingering anxiety messes with me, urges to start practicing _now_.

"Say, Big Brother..."

"Hm?" I catch him in the middle of slurping his noodles.

"Do you miss the old times with your teacher? 'Cause... I think it'd be cool that once you're a ninja again, you can become Hokage-sama's bodyguard."

Obito does not respond. I look over and see his eyes are impossibly huge and glittering with tears.

"You mean always being right at Minato-sensei's _side_? Basically as important as the Hokage? Uh, _hell yes_ , sign me up!"

That's...

I try to stifle a laugh.

"I'm glad you're excited! You're going to need that enthusiasm!"

"Huh? Why?" His excitement falls a little while I pull out a folded piece of paper. Unraveling it, I'm treated to my own handwriting.

"Not any ninja can be a bodyguard. In addition to being accepted by the Hokage, you'll have to pass the Standard Bodyguard Exam! It's both a written and practical exam—kind of like the Ninja Academy's exam.

"Written focuses on the history of bodyguards and mistakes guards have done, plus really complex scenarios requiring you to be very resourceful. Practical focuses on overall fitness and capability. Scoring seventy-fifth percentile is necessary to even compete with all the other applicants. Of course, the closer you get to perfect for one half the exam, determines the type of bodyguard you end up as.

"There's not _much_ information, but I talked to former bodyguards who either retired early or left when Hiruzen-sensei did. Ninja who score high on written tend to stay further away from the Hokage and formulate tactics or strategies for the others. High scorers on practical are usually near Hokage-sama always.

"What I'm saying is that we should probably focus on one more than the other," I smile. "Plus, we need extremely competitive scores. There's no doubt Hokage-sama will accept you, but if you're underqualified compared to other entries, people will take that as favoritism and it'll reflect back negatively on Minato."

Obito drops the noodles in his mouth. He's sweating now.

"That's... that's a lotta rules," he mumbles, face shining with sweat.

 _Wait a minute..._

For me, those statistics are essential. I know exactly what to work on, what geniuses are truly capable of. But, well... not everyone feels comforted by that.

I try to hide my snicker at Obito's slightly overwhelmed expression. "Maybe, but think about being at Hokage-sama's side, Big Brother!"

He closes his eyes, nods. "Minato-sensei hates meetings. Luckily, Obito Uchiha is gonna be there to put a smile on his face!"

"That's the spirit! Okay, Big Brother, I'll give you the materials to study. The exam is mid-November, with a three-month boot camp from January to March for accepted ninja. Good luck! I believe in you! And if you need help, don't be afraid to ask!"

I put the scroll down and unseal it. A white cloud poofs into existence, smelling like ink and my own chakra. Once it clears, there are all the textbooks, guidebooks, workbooks, and pamphlets I stuck inside. Obito flushes a bit looking at the mighty red and white stack.

"Three and a half months?" Obito says. " _Yoshi_! Here I go!"

Just like that, Obito inhales the last of his cup noodles and starts reading. I say my goodbye, but he doesn't hear me. And so I dash off to practice, to shut up this nagging feeling.

* * *

"Good morning, Sensei, Takenaka, Nahime," Shisui says and yawns soon after.

Now that he's here, we start to walk to the mission desk. Yesterday, we had to do another team exercise, this one being to find a golden ring hidden in the village. Needless to say, we pissed off many women yesterday.

"You still smell like perfume," I grin.

Shisui sniffs his shirt. "I don't smell it?"

"Ah, sucks. It actually smells nice and girly! Say, you guys, wouldn't Shissan make a good girl?"

" _Eh_?"

"Naturally, Shisui can be competent in anything," Uro says, turning slightly over her shoulder to address us.

Nahime just keeps looking forward, ignoring our existence.

Having been stuck with her for six months now, I think she's starting to grow on me. I think I'm _used_ to her.

Strange.

"I'm not a girl," Shisui mutters, dejected.

"Don't worry. Once your voice drops, I'm sure it'll be difficult for people to see that you're a girl!"

As Shisui scratches his neck, I chuckle. It's fun to talk to people after being alone from training.

But the time for talking soon ends once we enter the mission desk office. Lines are still kinda short. Uro said that popular hours are dawn, dusk, and midnight.

Hiruzen is _still_ alive, sitting at the desk and smiling as soon as he sees us. As if nothing's wrong.

I applaud his ability to act.

"Good morning," the old man greets softly.

"Good morning," Team 11 choruses.

"Today's D-Ranks..." He picks up the massive scroll with the letter D scrawled on the front. "There are none."

"What?" Shisui says, much better than my jaw dropping.

"Due to recent events, many ninja are scrambling for ryo. Today has been the worse of it. No one is plugging in new missions and the already present missions have been taken or completed. There is but only one mission available, however it is a C-Rank."

Han's attack was a month ago. The village had a huge burst in missions, but now that we ninja have completed far more than the amount being produced, it's no surprise to find the mission pool so little. After all the money needed for missions and damage control, nobody really wants to make another flimsy D-Rank.

But that means Team Uro _will get a C-Rank_. We Genin are holding our breath as we peer at Uro hopefully. It's like staring at a gray brick wall with her hair shielding her eyes, though. And, she's not particularly expressive on a good day.

Uro is a statue.

Time ticks on. The chirping of birds, the distant clank of stones, the soft sounds of village life.

"Naturally," says she, "I must train my team. If we must, we will take the C—"

" _Yes_! Up high, ninja!" I have two hands up and ready for high fives. Shisui smacks my palm hard in his excitement, while Nahime nearly high fives and freezes. She lowers her hand.

"I have never seen that much enthusiasm," Uro comments indirectly.

As soon as we're out of the office and Uro has the mission scroll in hand, she tells us to pack our backpacks for a month-long mission, then meet up near the southeast corner.

"Only one C-Rank available, huh?" I think I have a hunch on what it could be.

I drop into my room using my unlocked window, deciding to gather up all my most important notebooks and seal them into one scroll to hide. Don't need Itachi finding my secrets or Ryou to eat them. Next, I make my room look decent, wary Mother might get upset if I leave it a mess.

It's easy packing. I'd remembered a packing checklist from survival classes. It takes a bit of work _finding_ the items I need, but they're found eventually. I sharpen a few shuriken and kunai, take my wooden sword and sheath I'd been getting proficient in, take my quarterstaff. Once everything item is packed into tags or scrolls, I slip them into one of my many hidden coat pockets and walk downstairs.

Mother is in the living room with a silver-haired lady, eyes the hue of a cloudy sky. The lady is taller than Mother, and her high-waisted dress the color of vanilla ice cream seemingly glows in the sunlight.

This stranger is talking to Ryou.

"Eh?"

Both women look up. Mother is the first to say, "Takenaka? Aren't you home early?"

"I've, uh,"—I decide I do _not_ want this stranger lady to know—"got a mission that'll take a month or so. I'm packing up."

"What? Your first long mission!" At first, her doe eyes glitter. But upon realizing that milestone means me leaving for a month, she starts to frown. "Oh. I'll miss you. Do you need any pointers?"

"No, no thanks. I can handle this."

 _Do not leave that woman alone with Ryou_ , I try to say telepathically to Mother. It is not effective.

" _Bubby_ ," is Ryou's babyish version of _Big Brother_. Looking at her, she looks way too similar to Sasuke, just with longer hair. A few strands extend out and curl up, making her the only Uchiha with non-limp hair. It's really adorable.

She runs to me, which isn't clumsy or spastic for a toddler. I kneel down and take one of her tiny, sticky (she loves sticky rice too much) hands. The other hand, she places on my cheek with a _smack_.

"Ryorin, you've got a cute outfit on, don't you?" Her romper is nothing fancy and is pale purple. "Been good for Mother?"

" _Bubby_ , stay," she says, and I can see her two baby teeth. "Play with Ryou!"

"Can't now, I'm busy. When I come back, okay?"

Her cheeks get huge. "But! Play _now_!"

"Once I get back, we will."

She pinches my cheek. Hard. Ryou's strong for her age. "No 'come back'! _Bubby_!"

"Okay, okay, how about we play a game? Help _Bubby_ make some food and pack?"

Ryou doesn't know what the game is, but it involves two of her favorite things: food and me.

"I love food!" She claps furiously.

(So what if the latter's not true?)

As I'm making the quick-to-prepare foods and trail mix, I can hear Mother and the weird stranger speaking.

"Ah, so that's Takenaka Uchiha? I have heard many things about this boy."

"Really? He has a tendency to get around..."

"How strong would you say his relationship to Ryou is?"

"Um..." I assume Mother holds up a finger or talks too low to hear. On second thought, I think I should have been training my ability to hear rather than to smell.

"Ah, is that so."

I finish packing and walk into the living room with a Ryou munching on an ice cube. The women are now sitting, both with postures as flawless as dolls.

Mother gestures politely to the woman. "Takenaka, meet Kayako. She'll be teaching Ryou etiquette!"

I narrow my eyes. "Huh?"

 _Kayako_ rises and bows. With the abundance of whites and off-whites, she looks more like a marble column than a human. "Good morning. It is a pleasure to meet the future of the Uchiha Clan."

"Good afternoon." I incline my head. "Um, Mother, any news from Karada-sensei?" _For example, why isn't he in Kayako's place?_

"I haven't had any contact with him in years," she says, eyebrows furrowed slightly. "It is as if he's missing. But I think he would have enjoyed being able to teach all my children..."

"Ah," Kayako says, "it seems I have quite the role to fulfill."

I hand Ryou to _Mother_ and make my leave. There's still two hours before Team 11's meet up, so I spend them practicing for forty minutes and brushing up on geography, survival, and herbs found in the wild. Once content, I head towards the meetup site.

It also seems like Nahime and Shisui have packed lightly, save for the small, crossbody purse on Nahime and the black drawstring resting low on Shisui's back. Uro manifests out of nowhere, carrying seemingly nothing at all for the mission.

It's better this way. Enkou taught us how ninja should keep visibly carrying belongings to a minimum. That's just daring fate to hinder a ninja in combat or motivate a villager to steal the items.

Uro looks at each of us equally before saying solemnly, "Are you prepared? We will be a day's travel away from your home. Naturally, you will likely become homesick. And do be careful that anything you may need is a day away, including reinforcements."

"We wouldn't need reinforcements on a C-Rank, right?" I joke, to lighten the mood.

"If everything goes smoothly and the gods look to us with apathy, that would be true," Uro states bluntly.

I can practically _hear_ the cold sweat breaking out on Shisui and Nahime. "Well, that's why you wanted us to do all those D-Ranks and teamwork missions. We shouldn't need reinforcements anyways."

"Y-Yeah, that's true," Shisui mumbles, smile slightly fragile. "We can do this!"

"Right, right. Let's carry on, shall we?"

The goal is to have made it three-quarters of the way to our destination, aiming to set camp in the forest recesses between the distance of two villages. To do so, the only way to travel fast enough is through the trees.

I haven't run through the trees in broad daylight on a mission before, so I can't say I'm a veteran. But I remember from textbooks and Asuka's shouts that a ninja should be very careful not to leave shadows on the ground (to prevent from other enemies following the ninja from stealing their mission money—scavengers), not too make too much noise and to use the tree resulting caused by a breeze to talk, and be careful of any animals living within the trees. Some can be as plain as birds who'd just give away our position with their chaotic fluttering or as lethal as snakes angry with ninja disturbing their nest.

Because Uro brings up the rear, it's up to us to keep an eye on all these dangers ourselves. Nahime and Shisui are quiet in their effort, so deadly serious I don't try to speak.

Sometime between noon and dusk, my stomach starts to ache. I don't think it's my usual snack time, so it must be because all the calories I've been burning.

"Hey, isn't anyone else hungry?" I say.

Shisui casts a worried gaze at his stomach. "I... kind of..."

"And you, Devil-princess? Come on, I've packed food for you, too!"

Nahime leads the front, so there's no telling what expression she makes if she makes one.

"Well, Uro-sensei, can we eat something?"

Uro looks down and observes the ground we're hundreds of meters above. "Eating and moving is not a good idea. You could attract animals. If we eat, we must stop completely and lose time."

"Yeah, yeah, that's what the textbooks say," I roll my eyes. "But, Uro-sensei, we're not the standard age, here. We're three years younger. Plus, there hasn't been a war in ages."

Nahime scoffs. "It has not even been five years. Tensions are still high."

"Thanks for the _helpful input_. Just because you eat the souls of the living doesn't mean we humans can't eat anything."

She looks over her shoulder to glower at me, all out of things to throw.

"Did you not say you would get along with Nahime more?" Uro says. Her voice is a flawless monotone, but I swear it sounds exhausted.

"She started it! I'm just a simple guy trying to get some food here!"

"And what does this ' _Satanahime_ ' word you keep saying mean? It is not a real word."

I laugh uncontrollably. It reminds me too much about the time when Grandma had so innocently asked me, " _What does 'roflcopter' mean?_ "

Sadly, we don't get a lunch break. We do keep traveling up until our goal, reached just half an hour after the night sky loomed over us. The forest recesses aren't like the Leaf's forest even if from afar they look similar. It's quiet here. There are faint smells of animals, tracks that haven't been disturbed in months, and when there should a horrible cacophony of katydids and other buzzing of insects, there is pure silence.

Aside from the odd breeze or the odd noise our food makes, there are no sounds.

The trees may look a vibrant green, the ground may still be populated by worms and fungi, but I get the feeling this place is dead.

We all notice it. We even eat and move cautiously to avoid disrupting the silence, but no one says it out loud.

I volunteer for the first watch. Once everyone is curled up in their sleeping bags, I move a distance away, find a branch hidden enough to conceal myself on, and just focus.

It's peaceful.

The tree branches' shadows extend like spiderwebs in the night, leaving tiny patches of grass and tree trunk illuminated. It's hard to make out Team 11's position by sight alone. It's a good thing that sight's one of the worst things a ninja can rely on.

In Academy, all ninja-in-training learned tracking skills as apart of survival lessons. At night, we learned first hand not to always rely on our eyes. And so we learned alternative ways. Some took to devising clever traps, some had abnormal hearing abilities, and some were as rare as Kaori—they used their ability to sense chakra.

I trained myself in all those ways so I could remain on top of the leaderboard. But I wasn't really focused on mastery, just results, so my abilities have weakened. All except for my scent which I found the most useful.

A ninja can certainly hide their scent, but many don't know how to do that or assume that a team lacking an Inuzuka wouldn't have a scent tracker. Ken Inuzuka, my former classmate, taught me the secret after much prying and begging (which translates to stroking his ego). Using physical energy, a ninja can disrupt particles causing scent and aromas. The person would breathe it in, but the chakra attached to the particles specifically attacked the target's physical energy, specifically the olfactory system.

It works well enough. I mean, it does leave behind a faint chakra trail, but only gifted chakra sensors can sense something that faint. My matured Sharingan couldn't detect much.

I focus on my scent and relying on my other auxiliary senses. It's tiring to constantly be alert. The night sky drifts onwards until it's my time to wake up the next watcher.

But that'd mean I'd just have to go to sleep. I don't feel sleepy. I don't think I want to go to sleep, not after what Nahime said during the exam.

I'm not wasting any chakra and I'm used to little sleep. This won't be a problem. I continue to sit here and let the time pass on.

Underneath me, there's a soft crumble of a leaf, the sound of a cat stalking in tall grass. A sound just a little darker than breathing out. My ninja senses aren't tingling, so it can't be a threat.

I hop down and stroll to the campsite. With a snap, a blue fire bursts into existence on my fingertips.

"Do you not realize you're past swapping time," asks an irritating voice, coupled with narrow cat eyes glaring at me in the dark.

"Oh boy," I sigh. The break is welcomed for my tense nerves, but not _that_ much. "I know. You're going to say something else about Uchiha. Something like, ' _You're so arrogant, you think you're better than time!_ ' or ' _Uchiha, you're trying to betray us just like Madara betrayed the Leaf!_ '. I don't care. Do you not realize there are _other_ things to talk about in life? Are more important in life?"

Nahime's glare gets nasty. "Why didn't you wake me up so I could watch?"

"Were you even sleeping, or do you just have an alarm?"

"How could I sleep when _you_ were watching over us?"

"Oh, there we go again. Playing the Uchiha card. What if I just start replacing everything with Nahime Mino, eh? ' _Lookie here, the only person dumb enough to not trust their teammate is a Nahime Mino. Goodness gracious, why hasn't their kind been extinct yet?_ '"

The graceful heiress doesn't lose her composure as I do. She's likely much less stressed than me. After all, I remember I lost my cool rarely around her in the Academy. And she, likewise.

So satisfied with my anger, she doesn't feel the need to retort rudely. "Regardless of what little you understand, the Mino Clan is perfectly suited for environments like this. If you look at a tree the wrong way with that fire in your hand, you'll just most likely burn this place down."

I make my voice girly—well, girlier. "' _Wow, only a Nahime Mino could assume her clan can handle any kind of forest ever. Un-be-lievable! So arrogant!_ '"

Nahime punches my shoulder, hard enough to bruise. "It is my turn to watch. You sleep."

I exaggerate a scoff and ignore the heat and pain from my new injury. "And let a Nahime Mino watch _me_? As if! Your kind is just too arrogant!"

Her face turns bright red. She stalks past me, into the realm of darkness where my fire can't reach.

Huh.

Actually, I don't think I _can_ fall asleep while she's on watch after I've just pissed her off.

I follow after Nahime, stealth up the tree she goes to hide in, only to find it's my tree from before. She even rests on the same branch, curling up into a little ball to hide the brightness of her white blouse and red athletic skirt.

I sit down next to her, not worried about my darker colors. "Yo."

She doesn't startle. "Go."

 _At least she didn't say anything bad about Uchiha that time. Progress?_

"I can't sleep," I whisper. "I've never been good at it."

"That is only because you are too nosy and distrustful."

 _No progress_.

"Nah. I've just been so used to training for hours and hours. I feel... itchy if I don't anything productive. And I haven't talked in a while. It gets boring."

"Not my problem."

"Course it is, we're a team now. Don't you know any funny stories? You're a girl—can't you sing?"

"You want a story? Here. Once upon a time, there was a girl named Nahime. She wondered for four months straight, ' _Why did Hokage-sama put me on a team with two Uchiha? Why the horrible valedictorian and the meek Uchiha? Why not the Hyuuga or Aburame? Does he want me to fail? Does he want the Mino Clan to fail?_ ' Of course, no one gave the heiress a good answer. No one cared. The end."

I wince.

"Um... well, you aren't open about your hate. Hokage-sama probably didn't realize that. Or... maybe it was the graduation exam we did? He's that kind of person who thinks two people that don't get along eventually _will_ if they understand one another."

In canon, wasn't that true with Obito and Kakashi? (Until he "died".)

If I get along with Nahime... will I "die"?

Maybe I should just run away...

"More realistically," she stresses, "our skills are great compliments on paper. However, he didn't account for personalities. It makes sense, but it is not very efficient."

What can she do? She has good chakra control, so doesn't waste chakra. Her reserves are higher than mine too. She knows a little bit of everything and can adapt easily. She'd complement just about any team.

Shisui and I make more sense. I love genjutsu and long-range ninjutsu. Shisui is more direct; he uses his super speed and taijutsu. We're great together.

Then there's just Nahime who sort of... floats in the middle. She's not even the Rin of our team—doesn't try to connect us together.

"You could be right," I admit, shrugging. "You don't really _fit_ peacefully. I can't tell why Hokage-sama picked you."

"Glad to know you can still see reason," but her voice lacks its usual harshness. "It makes no sense. Why should I be on Team 11 and not Team 10? Would Kaori Yamanaka not have fit in my place instead?"

"We can do it because we're Team 11!" I say, adding in a huge grin.

"That's right, we have Takenaka on our team," Shisui says.

"Yup! With him we can't lose!" Kaori holds onto my arm, her smile almost blinding. "That's why he's my future husband!"

"No. Way." I make an X with my arms.

"The Yamanaka is your biggest fan. She would work with you two Uchiha more."

"In real life, maybe. In combat? No way. She's a damsel in distress or she gushes over my abilities. Even if you're supremely annoying, at least you know when and how to work with me without rose-tinted glasses. I can trust you with my life—occasionally. Meanwhile with Kaori... I can't say the same."

"You would trust _me_ with your life? Then why are you up here and not sleeping?"

"I'm not a good sleeper. That's it."

Nahime huffs in disbelief. Even when I don't lie, she still never listens.

"Could you ever trust me with your life?" I nudge her lightly.

"An Uchiha?" Nahime reponds quickly. "Absolutely not."

That killed the mood. It's suddenly cold up here.

"As a teammate," she continues softly, "I don't know. You saved me once, I saved you once. I wish I could call that even, however your back suffered scars whereas I have none at all."

I rub my back self-consciously, trying to avoid the phantom pain of that event. "Relax, I don't regret it. It's not the end of the world. Don't guys look cooler with more scars?"

" _Anyways_ , no matter what happens, I have a duty to fulfill. I am the heiress of the Mino Clan. Every action I take weighs heavily on my shoulders. I will not give up and I will not die before I can lead my clan, Uchiha."

Her passion is basically the only hope of her for being a good person. Disregarding everything I've known about her, she really respects her role. Can't deny it's rubbed off on me. After all, there are few women in leadership positions among clans—she's got more to lose than me.

"I understand," I say, smiling to myself, "I've got lives to save, too. But we're going to have to work together if we want our dreams to come true. After all, if we die out here, we've only got ourselves to blame."

"Yes."

I want to sit here in silence. Let these warm feelings simmer around us. But I end up blurting before long, "I guess we're friends now!"

"As _if_. This is a professional relationship. I do _not_ want to see you outside of our business status. Understand?"

"Whatever, whatever. People can define friendship in their own terms," I smirk.

"You must not have many friends."

"Well—"

Outside the Uchiha Clan, I have... well, people that are still well and alive... people who live in the Leaf... people I can talk to anything about...

"...do you?"

My voice is light and trembling, like a little kid afraid of the big bad monster under his bed.

"No."

Nahime's voice is identical to mine.

.: **SEVEN END** :.

* * *

 _Hey._

 _I know it's not November 1st, but I have important information:_

 _I have been receiving lots of reviews (which, by no means, do I think is bad). They have been very critical and I've been thinking long and hard. I, as a writer, should respect my readers and I should be delivering better content. There are too many negatives to this story and it doesn't seem right to force you all to read this._

 _So, I'm going to put this on **hiatus** to work out all the kinks and bugs. You'll receive another update on November 1st as planned, but I'm uncertain of a December 1st update. I'll work hard to fix this story. Until we meet again~_

\- 17 Oct 2018


	25. EIGHT

**A Measure of Darkness**

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." Reincarnation!OC

— Robert Frost, _Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening_

* * *

 **EIGHT**

 _ **A Measure of Darkness**_

 _Garden Village Troubles: A Pain in the Grass_

* * *

I get some sleep that night and wake up alright. We chow down on quick breakfast, make our plans, and get moving. Since we're so close, we walk quickly through the knee-high grass.

The landscape is made up of very few flowers and countless mushrooms. There are large patches of yellow grass, dried from the sunshine. The grass does not seem disturbed by any animal of any kind. There are hills and there are sudden dips in the ground that nearly breaks our ankles.

I end up telling Uro, "This place is giving me bad vibes. There's no animals, no bugs, no nothing. That's not right."

"You are correct. There is a distinct lack in animals."

"Do you think they just ran away?" Shisui interjects. "If they all died, we'd probably see some remains."

"Who knows," Uro says.

I sniff the air a few times. "They weren't hunted. I didn't see old weapons or blood stains."

"Did they run away?" Shisui holds his chin thoughtfully. "What could be so terrible that it makes all animals run away?"

"Something that predates without distinction," Nahime, of all people, responds. Her tone isn't as chilly as usual and she even looks back at Shisui and me. "Obviously, there has been no catastrophic weather here, so it must have been a creature. I've never heard of a creature that causes this much terror aside from humans."

"That's why we're here, huh, Uro-sensei?" I say. "It's our job to find this creature?"

"Correct."

Then there's no doubt about: we're looking for the _kikaichuu_ -like insects.

We're looking for small, aphid-esque bugs that eat the chakra _and_ can hide their presence in the body unlike the usual _kikaichuu_. Never knew these bugs could be this terrifying—though I've only ever seen them pacified and controlled. Honestly, the fact a chakra-eating bug exists is unbelievably overpowered. Practically everything has chakra or natural energy. Even animals have chakra—I confirmed that myself during my early experiments with Ninshuu. Their system isn't nearly as refined or complicated as a human's, however, and it lacks the selfishness of ninjutsu.

"Isn't this kind of interesting," I comment with a smile. "Since we're the Leaf's track and search team, we're looking for something. Care to tell us what this mission is, Uro-sensei?"

"Naturally, it is our goal to find something. However, this may be very difficult for you three. Little is known about our target. What is known is that it will kill you if you are not careful."

Her words would sound sweet if she lost the monotone.

"Beating around the bush, Sensei? But aren't you blunt? What could be so bad?"

Maybe she's not worried about us, but about her status. From a clan that is assumed to have full control over chakra-eating bugs, finding more in existence that are uncontrolled is not good for the Aburame's reputation. What if another Aburame-like clan or insects formed? How many lives would be claimed by the bugs?

"We are searching for deadly insects," Uro says, effectively informing us without us knowing the truth. Excluding me. "If we do not find these insects, many will die."

"Ah," Shisui inhales, "it's a good thing we have Sensei on the team! Well then, let's do this, Team 11. We have lives to save!"

His enthusiasm is nice. It lightens the heavy atmosphere that had gradually arisen. Uro is quieter. Nahime is thinking as we move. I offer a smile, but my mind is whirling.

Even if I know what we're up against, I don't know how to defeat it.

There's no way genjutsu can work. I'm basically giving them my chakra to eat. I doubt it'll work anyway—couldn't Shino dispel genjutsu using his bugs? Using taijutsu is absolutely stupid, and ninjutsu suffers the same issue with just throwing chakra for them to eat. All I can really use are Weapons Techniques and medical arts _maybe_.

 _Could... poison work?_

I had taken herbology and pharmacology in med school. While my knowledge won't beat a Yamanaka's, I do know a thing or two about poisons. Especially overdose side effects.

"Uro-sensei," I call and she watches me. "Being in the Aburame Clan and all... you know a lot about insects, right?"

She nods once. "Though, none as keen as my insects."

"So, are there things that are poisonous to insects?"

"Do not tell me you're trying to create pesticide," butts in Nahime, scowling. "It is not our job to kill these bugs."

"Not every poison leads to _death_ , you know."

Nahime turns away.

"About that..." Uro averts her gaze by turning her head slightly. "I do not know."

"Eh? Come on now, your parents never told you to keep away from anything that can hurt your bugs?"

"Firstly, I will not expose the weaknesses of my insects to anyone. Secondly, insects families are extremely diverse. Naturally, things that hurt one family may be completely ineffective on a close family. It is quite possible that the insects have faced poison and could have mutated to avoid harm."

So that's a whole lotta nothing.

I'll just brute force it.

"Good points, Uro-sensei, I won't try it." I offer her a fake smile and everything.

I feel like she doesn't trust my words one-hundred percent, but she doesn't have any evidence to challenge me with. Shisui brushes off my line of reasoning after her words, wiping off his interested look before becoming contemplative.

Nahime... who knows.

We continue our journey up until the village in distance becomes right in front of our noses. It's the opposite of the lively and bustling entrance to the Leaf. Everything seems faded and old through a lack of maintenance or care. The streets are empty and the houses and buildings seem deserted.

But I can tell the dusty road had been recently disturbed by more than one person.

"A ghost village?" Shisui mumbles.

"Almost," I say, "but not quite. There's people still living here. Though by the looks of things, not very well."

"How do you know? There are lawns that haven't been cut for months."

"Shissan, a ninja has to see more than just the obvious!" I throw an arm around his shoulders and guide his head. "You see that? There's a cobweb in door's corner—broken and destroyed. That's means the door had been recently opened, at least frequently used enough for a human or animal to disrupt it."

Shisui stares at the ground, gears turning. "But, that can't be so. All the animals and insects are gone."

"Cobwebs are durable, Shissan, it's the spider's source of food, after all. If the spider had died, I doubt it would've destroyed its nest. Something or someone else had to destroy it."

Shisui frowns in thought.

We cross the threshold and slow down. Nahime looks back at Uro, who walks around us and takes the lead. She moves purposefully even though this is our first time here.

Uro knocks on the door where the cobweb is. "Hello? This is Uro Aburame of the Hidden Leaf Village speaking. We are here to deal with the local problem. If you would be so kind as to—"

The door swings open. In the darkness, a man stands. Pale and emancipated, he looks like a child more than the adult man his face and beard portray him to be.

"You should'nt have come here," he says, shaking his head. "You'll die like the rest."

"Die? Why would we die?" Uro says calmly.

His eyes focus on the forehead protector. "The plague. Nothing stops the plague. So just hide and mind your own business..."

"Sir, we could be capable of stopping your plague," Uro argues, sticking her foot in the narrow opening of the door as the man goes to close it. "We just need to ask a few questions."

"How could _you_ stop this? It doesn't stop! Men, women, children, animals, bugs—they all die. We've done everything we can to stop it, but it doesn't work. Now please, leave me be... I've survived this long..."

Uro takes a few moments after his words to begin removing her foot. In those moments, my mind is running wild.

Those bugs are the "plague". No matter what, they feed off chakra. Because they're so small, they can eat so many different sized animals. And with that, it's almost impossible to see them.

How _would_ anyone stop a chakra-eating bug?

 _Wait a minute—the bugs infiltrated the village!_

Shivers crawl up my spine and arms. My hair stands on edge just thinking about the possibility of bugs roaming my body. I need to figure out how to get rid of them _immediately_.

I step forward and push gently against Uro's heel, stopping her from moving with my foot. Her body turns to my direction, but I'm more focused on paranoid gaze the man gives me. As if he's ready to sprint away like a deer.

I smile gently. "Sir, please, I am an esteemed medic, taught by none other than Tsunade-sama. If there is a plague and you want it to end, I'm very qualified for the job. Please, may I preform a check up and ask a few questions?" Even for show, I fish through one of the many hidden pockets of my trench coat for my medic certification paper copy.

At last, his shoulders that were so high, that grazed his ears, relax. "Fine. Please hurry..."

He quickly let us in. Once the door is slammed shut, we see nothing but blackness. A thick, cinnamon and musk smell fills the air, giving me a headache. I can sense Shisui and Nahime's cringing by their sudden silence and paused breathing.

An orange flare bursts into existence then settles on top of a small candle.

The place could have looked good once. Now the furniture is missing, the windows are boarded, and the kitchen is covered in dust and bugs.

There's something rotting...

"How does this go?" The man drops to his knees in the middle of the living room. His body is weak but his dark eyes now gleam with hope.

 _It's a good thing I wasn't lying_.

"Anywhere is fine, as long as you're comfortable." Then, seeing him continue to sit there, I walk over and hover my open hands over his back. As second later, an eerie blue light shines from my hands and weakly illuminates the room.

The Diagnostic Technique scavenges through his body, running up and down the sinews of his weak chakra system. Grazing the blood and flesh his own energy touch. Very soon I am able to tell the injuries to his body (he scratches his arm too much that he's broken the skin, he had a terrible sinus infection that's left its mark, he's mildly dehydrated). But nothing about the bugs.

The glows ceases.

He exhales shakily.

"I found no sign of the plague in you," I say. "But that doesn't mean you aren't infected. It'll take time for it to grow..."

"Infected or not, _save me_!"

He gets to his feet all too fast, turing on me with a glower. Behind him, Nahime and Shisui tense, ready for a fight.

"I let you in, I humored you," he begins less intensely. "If I'm gonna die, I want to know you can _save them_."

"Them who?" I say softly.

"The rest who made it."

"Where would these people be?" Uro jumps in, manifesting in front of me. "We will save them."

Having to look up at her, his confidence wavers. "The general's shelter."

"General?"

"Fought in the Third War. Used to be a ninja of your kind, but he said he couldn't work there anymore. Not after what his leader did. Just before the plague got worse, he used his ninja powers to build a shelter. Never saw it for myself."

I look past Uro at the man. "We could take you to it!"

" _No_. I've been on my own for too long. I'm sure I'm carrying the disease... I'll kill them all..."

"Thank you for your assistance," Uro says authoritatively. "We will continue. But may we ask you to allow us to stay here and rest?"

"If that's what it takes to save them all," he says.

We leave soon after, my hands itching to make sure the bugs aren't in our bodies. I keep checking my chakra for any changes. Nothing unusual.

"Uro-sensei," says Shisui, "can ninja of the Leaf just leave like that?"

"Usually? Never. Either he was a powerful man or he was a anonymous man. No man can leave past the gates without be accused of dissertation."

"If we find him..." Shsiui looks at the ground, in pain. "Won't he be a missing-nin? If we find him, we'll have to kill him?"

"Of course," she says easily. "Naturally, I'll be the one to do so."

"Woah, woah here!" I stop walking which gets everyone to stop and look. "He's saving the rest of the town from dying. _Why_ does he have to die?"

"The general abandoned the Leaf. One of the very first rules all Academy students learn is that the ninja must always remain loyal to the Hidden Leaf Village. Leaving is prohibited."

"Oh yeah? What about Tsunade-sama? Didn't she leave the Leaf? Why aren't we killing her?"

"She falls under powerful, I bet," Nahime says, frowning with a hand on her hip. "Nobody can defeat her except for the other Legendary Three Ninja."

"Upon her neck is the First Hokage's necklace," Uro adds. "Tsunade-sama has not abandoned the Leaf, but we can hardly say she is mentally prepared to serve the Leaf. Not with her hemophobia and her duty as a medic."

Translation: _Nobody's dumb enough to kill the First Hokage's granddaughter_.

"Shisui, back me up, the man stays alive!"

He startles at my call, but nonetheless steps behind me. "He shouldn't have to die, Uro-sensei..."

"Any further debate is pointless," she states. "I will kill him once he is found and there is nothing you can do. Naturally, three Genin stand little chance against a Jounin."

As soon as she says that, I picture Team Seven attacking Kakashi Hatake. Things they've trained so long and hard in didn't even matter against him.

 _Could I defeat a Jounin? Could_ _ **Itachi**_ _?_

And then the wind blows. With it, is the smell of a fresh corpse.

I follow it, it being an easy scent to track. Even the rest start to smell the horrible odor as we get closer. We race through the deserted town until buildings turn into deadly silent forests and the forests lead to a small river.

Right next to the river is a pile of rags covered in drying blood with a human shape underneath. With no scavengers to disassemble the body, it has no choice but to bake under the sun.

The stench is nauseating. Even a dumpster would smell better than this corpse.

I would much rather cover my nose and touch the body with a twenty-foot long pole, but as a medic, it's kind of my duty to perform a checkup.

I pull off the beige cloak and see a deadly pale face with blood clots just under the skin. There is a clear distinction from the areas of his body under the sunlight without fail versus areas of the body in constant shade. A slight green tint spreads on some areas. With the relatively slow decomposition ruining little, I can tell he was a very healthy adult male. There is no wound on his body leading to his death and no prior wound that could have gotten infected. He was well-fed, well-nourished, and showed no signs of illness. I run a bit of my chakra through his body examining the internal integrity. Doesn't take long at all.

With a quick burst of the Santization Technique, I stand up and find my team looking at me expectantly, all trying to ignore the smell.

 _This is almost kind of funny._

"The body?" Uro says.

"Recently dead. I give it about three to five days. Was a fairly healthy, active man. Suffered no blow or injury. In fact, it looks as if he just died peacefully in his sleep, which is rare, almost impossible, for a healthy adult male to do. So if we look at his chakra, we find a different story."

After death, chakra _does_ leak out the body and merges with the environment, becoming natural energy. The process, however, is very gradual, though not too slow. It's fast enough where skilled sensors can still feel the presence of chakra up to a week after a corpse. But not fast enough.

"There's not an ounce of chakra in his body _nor_ in the environment. It's just mysteriously vanished."

Uro continues watching me, silent.

"That's... not supposed to happen?" Shisui hesitates.

"What did you think happens when you die?" I start to grin.

"I dunno... doesn't it stay?"

"Shissan," I say, "you're adorable."

"E-Eh?"

"I'm confused, too." Nahime folds her arms over her chest and nods to the corpse. "Is there some kind of chakra stealer that killed him? Can you tell if he's been in a fight?"

"There was no struggle. No battle," I say.

"Okay, then either it was a seal that drained his chakra or something like Sensei's bugs." Nahime looks at Uro guilty. "No offense, but those are the only two ways I have heard of stealing chakra."

 _No wonder she's top kunoichi_. I feel a cold sweatdrop rolling down the side of my head.

"I definitely would have detected a chakra seal. But, usually, those decay after death or without an adequate chakra supply to latch onto. So it could only mean Sensei's bugs or some other third thing..."

Uro's expression doesn't change at all. I thought she'd be phased, but...

"But it's definitely not the work of an Aburame," I say.

"Huh?" Nahime, having thought we were on the same page, is immediately startled.

"Oh, great," Shisui sighs. "I didn't want to imagine our own Aburame Clan going rogue."

"No... I've seen a lot of Sensei's bugs in cadavers. There are key signs of _kikaichuu_. Not a single sign is in the body."

Nahime huffs. "So it is the third option, isn't it? But what _else_ could it be? The _plague_? If the insects we are looking for aren't _kikaichuu_ , then what is? What caused his death?"

"It could be..." I pause deliberately, watching Uro. "...something like my assignment the day we met Sensei. Strange little insects far more dangerous and insidious than Sensei's insects."

"No, no way Uchiha. The only way that's possible is if there's _another_ Aburame Clan. But there isn't. There will never be one."

I step over to the corpse and put my foot on it. "There isn't a new clan. But here's something interesting."

I roll over the body, fighting a laugh upon hearing Shisui's and Nahime's screams and quick moving. Catching the sunshine, the corpse's forehead protector draws their eyes before I tell them where to look.

"Oh... my..." Nahime mumbles.

"The Hidden Cloud? _Here_? What are they...?"

On his head a metal slot tied to a bright white forehead protector. On the shining metal is unmistakably the Hidden Cloud Village's symbol.

"Our biggest enemies. Lightning wants to be the most powerful nation, not Fire. Who refused to disband their military when every nation agreed to? Who jumped into the war solely to fight the Fire ninja?"

And who nearly stole Kushina? Hinata Hyuuga?

"Somehow they've found these insects and are using them to torture us. But it looks like not even they can control them. They're wild creatures after all."

"But where do the insects live? How has anyone not seen these bugs? Why don't we see them more in battles?" Nahime looks to the distance, mind buzzing.

"They're not easy to control. They have no loyalty, unlike the _kikaichuu_. And what village would admit they have bugs like the Aburame? That's just begging for another war."

I use my foot to spill the contents of his pouch. Among poisoned kunai and shuriken is a seal with the Japanese character for _alert_. I can't help but smirk.

"See this? Our pal wasn't alone. His party should be near since he's just died, but where? I don't smell other corpses, there's no trace of other humans around here. We need an aerial view. Uro-sensei, can you use—"

"No need, I am about up to here with insects." Nahime goes through hand seals and with a burst of smoke, three reddish-orange birds appear. "Go search the area." Like that, the little birds soar _fast_.

"Cool," I smile.

"Well," Nahime says, nothing else.

How did Lightning find these bugs? How did they contain them enough to carry here? Is Garden Village their playground before they set the bugs off on the Leaf?

However, such an attack never happened in the Leaf.

Either it was downplayed or the Aburame insects dominated, but Lightning _failed_ , right?

But, since I'm here, am I sure I won't be messing up anything?

I just need to be careful, is all.

"Amazing," Shisui mumbles.

"Huh?" I say.

"You're so smart to figure this out," he says quietly.

"Sorry, but I'm as clueless as you."

"Don't lie. They way you're speaking... it's as if everything is solved and you know how this ends. You're just waiting for us to catch up."

Shisui sounds hollow. No excitement, no awe. No happy shine in his eyes.

"If that's how I came across, I'm sorry. But I really don't know much more than you guys. It's okay, Shissan. It's not like you're a dead last or anything!"

It must be his Uchiha pride. I don't know if he had much of it given the little screen time, but I wouldn't put it past a nine-year-old to have it.

He's a good kid, even a little martyr-ish. He'll grow out of this phase.

"...should we bury him?" Shisui kind of awkwardly gestures to the corpse without pointing.

"Huh? What would be the point? He is the reason there are bugs killing innocents Garden Village," Nahime says, looking from the sky to him. "I say let him rot there."

"But... that's not right and we don't really know if he did this. He could've just gotten unlucky..."

"So you mean to tell me our mortal enemy from Lightning is cruising the countryside with a suspicious cloak, weapons, and an alert for his team _is not_ related to this situation at all?"

"It could be a coincidence..."

Nahime scowls at the boy. "Do not let stupid feelings misled you from the truth. You are the kind of person who would sympathize with a ghost only to be possessed. If you truly value others, you cannot impede judgment."

"What?"

"Quit adding things to something not there," she exhales. "Just _do_."

The simple words resonate with Shisui.

I wonder... did Nahime give him the conviction to save the Uchiha? Did he learn it the hard way?

"Hey, Uchiha."

First I look at Shisui, but he's watching me. Then I look to Nahime. "You know, that's kinda confusing."

She ignores my sentence. "What are you thinking about? Aren't you more chatty?"

"Just thinking... I mean, our lives are at stake here. We're talking about superbugs. I don't know how to stop them or prevent them from entering our bodies..."

Not a single bug remains in the corpse. Which is odd. In every species, there are always the ones who die because their environment does not have enough resources to sustain them all. There should be dead insects at the very least.

"Maybe there are..."

I sit next to the body, activate my chakra, and start searching the corpse. I can feel the scars he's dealt to his chakra system by creating Lightning Release. I search through his system for any kind of large or small collection of chakra.

After forever, I find it.

Two small concentrations of chakra near his knee. I cut open the knee and search for the branch the bugs made their graves in.

I pull put a storage seal and slip them inside. Maybe I'll be able to create pesticide after all.

"Ew..."

"Uchiha, what is wrong with you?"

Shisui and Nahime are wincing at the sight of his exposed knee. I cover it up with the cloak. "Just getting tissue samples."

"Warn me next time, Uchiha."

"Your hands... no gloves..." Shisui is green.

"I sanitized! But it's not as if touching his body will kill me. There are no flies, so there are no maggots. No fleas, no scavengers. I mean, the only thing to fear is probably his exploding stomach."

"It—what do mean by that?"

"You probably don't want to be here when it happens, then," I smile at Nahime.

Nahime is back staring at the sky. But instead of watching the fat clouds drifitng lazily by, her bird is flying towards her.

"That can't be good," Nahime says. "He never moves this fast."

* * *

.: **EIGHT END** :.

\- 1 Nov 2018


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